Mali

Estonian commandos are the latest to join a French-led Special Operations task force that will deploy in Africa in the upcoming summer to fight Islamic extremists. The deployment of the Estonian commandos was first reported by the Defense Post back in 2019. Then, an Estonian Defense Ministry spokesperson had stated that the country’s contribution to […]

The Malian army suffered another bloody setback in the northern region of the country. At least 29 people were killed, with some reports stating that all 29 were soldiers in the town of Tarkint, north of the city of Gao. However, the military posted on social media that only two of the dead were soldiers, […]

The Swedish government is planning to send helicopters and 150 special forces operators to augment the French-led Special Operations Task Force in the Sahel, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said in a release. In January, SOFREP had reported that the Swedish government was contemplating the option and weighing the pros and cons.  “The government has decided […]

The trials of two commandos accused of the murder of an Army Green Beret have been postponed for later this year. More specifically, Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator Tony E. DeDolph and Marine Gunnery Sergeant Mario Madera-Rodriguez will have their day in court in July and September, respectively. If found guilty, both are looking at […]

British soldiers are set to be deployed to the war-torn country of Mali. They will join the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the country as part of an effort to combat insurgent Islamist forces. Until now, British soldiers have only assisted in training operations: Roughly 30 Army soldiers and Royal Marines have been working in […]

Last year, during the annual exercise Flintlock, we wrote an article about the dangers of airborne operations. As this year’s iteration of Flintlock is upon us, it’s prudent to review what went wrong when some Special Operations troops from an African country decided to conduct some airborne training. Bad exits or landings during parachute operations […]

A Tier 1 Special Operations unit, attack helicopters, and lots more. This is what Sweden is ready to contribute to the new French-led counterterrorism task force in Africa. Last year, France declared its commitment to defeating extremism in the Sahel region of Africa with the creation of Task Force TAKUBA. In a brief press release, […]

In the span of a few weeks, a French Special Operations task force has assaulted three terrorist camps deep in Mali, resulting in the death of scores of Jihadists. The French Ministry of Defence announced that the first operation took place on December 21. A French Special Operations ground element, supported by Mirage 2000D fighter […]

Suspected Islamic militants attacked a Nigerien military base in a two-pronged assault on Thursday that left at least 25 soldiers dead. Government forces killed 63 jihadists and destroyed several motorcycles.  The attack took place in the town of Chinagodrar, which sits seven miles from Niger’s border with Mali. Although no one has taken responsibility for […]

During a visit to the Ivory Coast, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the success of a French military operation in Mali that resulted in the deaths of 33 Islamist militants. The raid took place along Mali’s border with Mauritania, where an al-Qaeda affiliate group is known to operate in. The operation consisted of ground troops, […]

At least 73 Nigerien soldiers were killed in an attack on a military base in western Niger, according to reports from the Ministry of Defense.  The attack took place at the military base at Inates, along the southwestern part of the country, which borders Mali. Defense Minister Issoufou Katambe said that the troops had been […]

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, speaking on Thursday about the death of 13 French soldiers in Mali this week in a counter-terror operation, has ordered his military to assess its operations against Islamist militants in West Africa. Macron, in his first public address since the collision of two helicopters that killed 13 French troops […]