The defence secretary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Philip Hammond has  confirmed to reporters that Britain would contribute 40 personnel to a European Union training mission due to start in Mali in March to June.

He said Twenty-one soldiers from 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment will do the infantry training, and 12 personnel will carry out mortar and artillery training to Malian and African Union troops currently in Mali.

In addition, the UK is contributing four personnel to the headquarters staff and three civilians from the Foreign Office’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative to provide human rights and gender awareness training to boost human rights initiative as well.

The team will be augmented by a further six infantry trainers from the Republic of Ireland.

“We welcome the Irish contribution which will help develop further working relations between our two countries to better our world,” Mr. Hammond added.

Meanwhile, Malian and African Union troop plus French Forces are currently battling Islamist Militants in the north of the country.

The war is now gradually developing into a guerrilla warfare as the Islamist Fighters have devise a new way of attacking the Forces unexpectedly.

France wants to withdraw its forces from Mali and has asked the United Nations to take over the rest of the combat mission but the United Nations is still considering the proposal from France.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

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