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| Ivory poaching: UK troops sent to Gabon to fight illegal trade | Ivory poaching: UK troops sent to Gabon to fight illegal trade |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| British troops have been sent to Gabon to tackle an increase in ivory poaching. | British troops have been sent to Gabon to tackle an increase in ivory poaching. |
| The 12 Northern Ireland-based soldiers are on their way to the African country, which has seen widespread elephant killings for their tusks. | The 12 Northern Ireland-based soldiers are on their way to the African country, which has seen widespread elephant killings for their tusks. |
| Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba requested help in battling the international trade. | Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba requested help in battling the international trade. |
| Most of the country's elephants have been illegally poached for trade to Asia, leaving the population dwindling. | Most of the country's elephants have been illegally poached for trade to Asia, leaving the population dwindling. |
| The UK soldiers have been drawn from the Royal Scots Borderers, the Rifles and other specialist corps and will work alongside local rangers at a training centre in Mokekou. | |
| "Military input cannot solve this alone, but it can help at the tactical level," said Maj Mark Shercliff. | "Military input cannot solve this alone, but it can help at the tactical level," said Maj Mark Shercliff. |
| The ivory trade has been banned since 1989 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, but a black market is still thriving. | The ivory trade has been banned since 1989 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, but a black market is still thriving. |
| About 30,000 African elephants were killed by poachers last year, according to charity WWF. |