German gov't extends foreign military mission in Mali for another year

BERLIN, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Germany's federal government has extended an ongoing military mission of the country's armed forces in Mali for another year on Wednesday.

Pending the approval of the federal parliament (Bundestag), the foreign deployment is now scheduled to formally run until at least May 2019. Additionally, the cabinet of chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to increase the number of troops posted in Mali from currently 150 to 350, as well as extending the duration of a separate anti-piracy mission in Somalia.

Berlin is scheduled to take command of the ongoing European Union (EU) mission in Mali to train soldiers from November 2017 onwards. So far, more than 11,000 armed forces personnel have already been trained by EU military staff.

Mali has suffered an armed invasion and a series of terrorist attacks carried out by Islamist extremists the North of the country since 2012. In order to help stabilize the wider Sahel region and stem the flow of illegal immigrants to Europe, German training staff will henceforth be able to rotate between countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauretania, Niger and Chad as well.

Aside from the EU training mission, more than 1,000 German troops are simultaneously involved in the United Nations "Minusma" peacekeeping mission which is considered to be the most dangerous foreign deployment of Germany's armed forces. Enditem