UK Forces in Africa

Discuss current, historical or potential future deployments, as well the defence of the UK's overseas interests.
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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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must say the kit is perfectly suited for the job
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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It will be interesting to see that while the current focal points (read: fraying the most) have been as follows
" In the East, USAFRICOM capabilities support and enable the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the multi-national effort to defeat Al Shabaab, an arm of Al Qaeda, and build sustainable security in Somalia as outlined in the 2017 London Security Pact. In the West, USAFRICOM supports the French-led multi-national coalition, United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and the African-led G5 Sahel forces against Al Qaeda and ISIS affiliates"
will it be northern Mozambique that will evolve to be the third.

And even more so, who will take the lead?
- the UK?
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

SW1
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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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Another article on the mission

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/2710 ... 87bb67fc84#

British troops are fighting an information war with Islamic State in the southern Sahara as they use radio shows and apps to counter jihadist propaganda.

They are also turning to high-tech kit such as night-vision goggles, surveillance cameras and drones to track the movements of terrorists in Mali, the landlocked country in west Africa.

About 300 British soldiers are there as part of a UN peacekeeping mission helping to protect local villagers from an Islamist insurgency across the Sahel, the semi-arid region between the Sahara and the savanna to the south.

They are mapping out areas where Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, are based near Gao in the east.

The UK troops, part of a wider task force that moves around the region, includes several members of 77 Brigade, a specialist army unit dedicated to psychological operations and countering disinformation.

Captain Lizzie Millwater, 31, said that the terrorists were blowing up radio masts across the region to cut off locals and feed them extremist propaganda and lies about the UN mission.

By destroying cellular infrastructure, they are also forcing villagers to ditch their mobile phones and use radios to which the extremists can listen.

The UK troops have also been using an array of high-tech equipment, including night vision goggles typically used by special forces but which are being now used by regular troops to track enemy forces. Wearing them out on patrol in the Foxhound armoured vehicle, Corporal Teague Young, 29, from Lincolnshire, said that the lightweight binoculars were a “game changer”.

Troop sergeant Callum MacKenzie, 32, from Hartlepool, who serves with The Light Dragoons, also uses the specialist goggles while out on reconnaissance missions in the Jackal 2 armoured vehicle.

MacKenzie, who has served in the army for 16 years including in Afghanistan, said: “The capability is light years ahead of the previous kit. So for the guys it gives them better perception of the ground and the ability to identify things at further ranges. It is mega.”

A 360-degree surveillance camera is also attached to the back of a Jackal which can zoom in and out on people of interest from miles away.

Three different drones, including two that can be held in the hand, are also in use to provide aerial surveillance and spot any dangerous activity near by.

The 190g DefendTex Drone40 can be fired from 40mm grenade launchers to be part of a swarm.

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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SW1 wrote:The UK troops, part of a wider task force that moves around the region
As this on a rotational basis, as Germany is upping their presence to 600 and as Portugal is quadrupling their training mission to the same number in Mozambique as we now have in Mali
... I can easily see that we went to Mali 'early' to help build the Mobile Task Force, could clear out at the end of the rotation and (?) go to northern Mozambique next
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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It appears we may have a coup in Mali

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/2021 ... e?ref=tw_i

Military officers in Mali arrested the president, prime minister and defence minister of the country's interim government after a cabinet reshuffle on Monday, multiple diplomatic and government sources told Reuters.

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President Bah Ndaw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and defence minister Souleymane Doucoure were all taken to a military base in Kati outside the capital Bamako, the sources said.

The arrests bring further uncertainty to the West African country after a military coup in August overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Ndaw and Ouane had been tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition back to civilian rule after the takeover, but many inside government and the opposition worried about the military's hold over key positions.

The arrests occurred after the announcement of a change in government in which two members of a military junta that seized power in August were

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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Lt Col Meddings has reflected on arriving in Mali…
“This week, in the sweltering heat, I took over command of the UK’s newest peacekeeping force. The soldiers of the UK’s Long Range Reconnaissance Group are made up of specialists from across the British Army. They include infantry and reconnaissance soldiers, drone operators, electronic warfare teams and a high-tech surgical team.

“Some back in the UK will ask ‘why this mission?’, ‘why now?’ and ‘why us?’. These are not unreasonable questions. In 2016 Sir John Chilcot published the Iraq Inquiry, concluding with 10 questions we should ask before the United Kingdom commits itself to boots on the ground. The first question was ‘why do we care?’

Of all the UN peacekeeping missions Britain could have joined, Mali has been chosen for a reason. The Sahel is one of the poorest regions on the planet. It is marked by chronic poverty, instability, high levels of gender inequality and is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Tension between communities has risen over recent years, frequently boiling over into violence while Islamic State and Al Qaeda affiliated armed groups fight the government and each other.
“Amongst all this violence and crime, it is the civilian population that have become the victims.
“Not only that, but this instability makes Mali an important route for arms, drugs and people smuggling. A stable Mali will not only benefit the men, women and children of this ancient nation. It will benefit the UK, too, reducing the people trafficking and gun-running that bring migrants and criminals to the shores of the Mediterranean.

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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In light of the above, this (from defencepost.com) is not fully accurate, but definitely relates to the discussions in/ near Brussels today:

"The drawdown [Macron is proposing] would mean the closure of French bases and the use of special forces who would be focused on anti-terror operations and military training, Macron said.

The Takuba operation [ no one else here has used that name... but it is the direction of travel: 'localisation + a hard-hitting covering force, when and where required] is to take over from Barkhane, [and] for now consists of around 600 European special forces based in Mali, half of whom are French, with 140 Swedes and several dozen Estonians and Czechs also taking part.

Macron has failed to secure significant contributions from larger European allies.

Macron said the French drawdown had been decided because the “longstanding presence of France… cannot be a substitute for political stability.” He stressed that France could not be involved in nation-building and expressed frustration with local partners
[...]
The anti-insurgency effort has cost the lives of 50 French soldiers, prompting calls in France for a review of Barkhane’s mission.

[...]

Macron’s announcement could force security in the Sahel up the agenda of a meeting of G7 leaders in Britain from Friday to Sunday, and a summit of the NATO military alliance in Brussels on June 14."
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

J. Tattersall

Re: UK Forces in Africa

Post by J. Tattersall »

Interestingly - After Barkhane: What France’s military drawdown means for the Sahel :https://ecfr.eu/article/after-barkhane- ... the-sahel/

and with podcast: https://ecfr.eu/article/after-barkhane- ... the-sahel/

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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J. Tattersall wrote:Interestingly - After Barkhane: What France’s military drawdown means for the Sahel :https://ecfr.eu/article/after-barkhane- ... the-sahel/

and with podcast: https://ecfr.eu/article/after-barkhane- ... the-sahel/
Interesting in that it appears it’s another area where we the west hasn’t engaged in a joined up approach. It reminds me of comments made by general lamb many years ago where he said all stages of such interventions needs to happen at once not one after the other.

Perhaps it’s is also worth looking at the article thru the prism of the intergrated review were it looks at regions it wishes to invest in long term with development aid, ground response force, security force assistance training and special forces operations and how this maybe a template for such things. however this requires quite a lot of enabling assets to be committed and we continue to limit them.

J. Tattersall

Re: UK Forces in Africa

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RAF Chinooks supporting the French-led counter-terror operation in Mali assisted recovery operations after a French Mirage 2000 jet crew ejected from the aircraft
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defe ... ry-mission

J. Tattersall

Re: UK Forces in Africa

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SW1 wrote:
J. Tattersall wrote:Interestingly - After Barkhane: What France’s military drawdown means for the Sahel :https://ecfr.eu/article/after-barkhane- ... the-sahel/

and with podcast: https://ecfr.eu/article/after-barkhane- ... the-sahel/
Interesting in that it appears it’s another area where we the west hasn’t engaged in a joined up approach. It reminds me of comments made by general lamb many years ago where he said all stages of such interventions needs to happen at once not one after the other.

Perhaps it’s is also worth looking at the article thru the prism of the intergrated review were it looks at regions it wishes to invest in long term with development aid, ground response force, security force assistance training and special forces operations and how this maybe a template for such things. however this requires quite a lot of enabling assets to be committed and we continue to limit them.
See also
THE SAHEL: EUROPE'S FOREVER WAR?
https://www.cer.eu/publications/archive ... orever-war

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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J. Tattersall

Re: UK Forces in Africa

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SW1 wrote:
One does wonder that with France unilaterally (but perhaps not unreasonably) closing down its Op Barkhane with Mali whether European nations will draw parrallels with Afghanistan, and get cold feet?

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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J. Tattersall wrote:
SW1 wrote:
One does wonder that with France unilaterally (but perhaps not unreasonably) closing down its Op Barkhane with Mali whether European nations will draw parrallels with Afghanistan, and get cold feet?
Yes it does, there are many parallels and a question of what the end state we’re looking for and how we (the west) achieve it. Lawlessness and terrorism is not going away and the symptoms it’s produces like the migrant flow into Europe will only increase. Are we prepared to be there for 50 years?

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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With some mentions of engagement in Africa in IR would these be areas to be involved or not a particular issue for us in either Mozambique or Nigeria .

https://maritime-executive.com/editoria ... e-security

There is also support from the US and the European Union, largely in the form of training assistance. This adds to training support promised by Angola and Zimbabwe as part of the SADC contingent arriving in Cabo Delgado.

But there’s a problem. The combined military response against the insurgents is primarily on land, with very limited maritime response capabilities. But the insurgent threat is not limited to the interior. Insurgents stormed and held the port of Mocímboa da Praia in August 2020 and attacked communities on nearby islands off Palma, halting its tourism flows.

The fixation on landward efforts ignores the fact that the insurgency also poses a maritime threat. Significantly, the insurgency has hobbled the energy sector. This was set to make Mozambique an important global energy player following the discovery of large offshore gas fields. The discoveries hold regional and global implications. Mozambique could well become a gas emirate in southern Africa, and bringing the industry on line could propel Mozambique into the top seven global gas producing countries.

These optimistic outlooks all depend on whether Mozambique can contain the impact of the ongoing violent insurgency in Cabo Delgado. This precondition extends offshore.

First, insecurity on land has maritime repercussions. This is the reality in the waters off Somalia, Nigeria, Libya and Yemen. Weak security governance on land affects the maritime economy, with shipping and resource extraction particularly vulnerable.

This land and sea interplay is a potential risk facing Mozambique’s decision-makers.

Second, perceptions of dangers in the waters off Mozambique hold negative repercussions. This is even more so if international measures are implemented to mitigate a threat to shipping. A high risk area at sea akin to those off Somalia and Nigeria directs shipping to take preventive actions. This has multiple knock-on effects.

Higher insurance costs are incured; shipping must follow longer routes, increasing the cost of doing business; private security personnel are often taken on; and the safety and livelihoods of crews are at higher risk. All this is evident in the demarcated danger zone now operational off Nigeria.

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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This is why the RN needs another Patrol ship based in Gibraltar than just HMS Trent. Low level engagement is needed around Africa and Eastern Med / Black Sea. Should have kept HMS Clyde IMO.
”We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow." - Lord Palmerston

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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Repulse wrote:This is why the RN needs another Patrol ship based in Gibraltar than just HMS Trent. Low level engagement is needed around Africa and Eastern Med / Black Sea. Should have kept HMS Clyde IMO.
Or instead of sending two to the pacific…. However the question is much more than a patrol ship it’s engagement across government and the decision if we are willing to be engaged long term. The report highlights that Governance, infrastructure and economic development of the countries resources, training and security assistance would be needed and it would need to be a plan agreed between governments of both countries or you are kidding yourself, such engagements require significant resources which are limited so it’s important we consider if it’s in our interests.

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ex ... 021-09-13/

PARIS, Sept 13 (Reuters) - A deal is close that would allow Russian mercenaries into Mali, extending Russian influence over security affairs in West Africa and triggering opposition from former colonial power France, seven diplomatic and security sources said.

Paris has begun a diplomatic drive to prevent the military junta in Mali enacting the deal, which would permit Russian private military contractors, the Wagner Group, to operate in the former French colony, the sources said.

A European source who tracks West Africa and a security source in the region said at least 1,000 mercenaries could be involved. Two other sources believed the number was lower, but did not provide figures.

Four sources said the Wagner Group would be paid about 6 billion CFA francs ($10.8 million) a month for its services. One security source working in the region said the mercenaries would train Malian military and provide protection for senior officials.

J. Tattersall

Re: UK Forces in Africa

Post by J. Tattersall »

Repulse wrote:This is why the RN needs another Patrol ship based in Gibraltar than just HMS Trent. Low level engagement is needed around Africa and Eastern Med / Black Sea. Should have kept HMS Clyde IMO.
I guess it all depends on what the material state of HMS Clyde was after a decade of weathering the S. Atlantic, and thus how much it would have cost to run on rather than sell off?

J. Tattersall

Re: UK Forces in Africa

Post by J. Tattersall »

SW1 wrote:https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ex ... 021-09-13/

PARIS, Sept 13 (Reuters) - A deal is close that would allow Russian mercenaries into Mali, extending Russian influence over security affairs in West Africa and triggering opposition from former colonial power France, seven diplomatic and security sources said.

Paris has begun a diplomatic drive to prevent the military junta in Mali enacting the deal, which would permit Russian private military contractors, the Wagner Group, to operate in the former French colony, the sources said.

A European source who tracks West Africa and a security source in the region said at least 1,000 mercenaries could be involved. Two other sources believed the number was lower, but did not provide figures.

Four sources said the Wagner Group would be paid about 6 billion CFA francs ($10.8 million) a month for its services. One security source working in the region said the mercenaries would train Malian military and provide protection for senior officials.
Again, given the behaviour of Mali's junta France's decision to terminate Op Barkane didn't seem unreasonable. That said it might well have been a major miscalculation. How other nations (esp EU) will see supporting France now is a big question, particularly if they risk their troops coming into conflict with Putin's proxies in the Wagner Group? Let's see if France still wants the 5th wheel in the form of RAF Chinooks and a British Army recce force?

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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One security source working in the region said the mercenaries would train Malian military and provide protection for senior officials.

Again, given the behaviour of Mali's junta France's decision to terminate Op Barkane didn't seem unreasonable.
Agreed, there's got to be some limits, rather than open-ended support.

As for Wagner possibly coming along, they have taken casualties (11 in a short period of time) in the CAR. But the (not so) funny thing is that the brittle balance within Mali was originally broken by a coup carried out by those elements in their army that had been trained by the US ... for counter-terrorism :(
- which then triggered the French intervention (which itself preceded the Barkhane concept, across the Sahel in Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. And separate from the Minusma, under the UN banner - though the French contingent has been the backbone of that force too; which is the one whereto the UK recce element has been deployed)
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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How the LRRG sustains itself on operations in Mali an long a informative thread




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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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Re: UK Forces in Africa

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An interesting thread on why terrorist forces have not gone away and how they becoming inextricably linked to China and Russian destabilising effects.

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