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Mali crisis: 330 UK military personnel sent to West Africa Mali crisis: 330 UK military personnel sent to West Africa
(about 1 hour later)
  
The UK is to deploy about 330 military personnel to Mali and West Africa to support French forces, No 10 has said.The UK is to deploy about 330 military personnel to Mali and West Africa to support French forces, No 10 has said.
This includes as many as 40 military advisers who will train soldiers in Mali, and 200 British soldiers to be sent to neighbouring African countries, also to help train the Malian army.This includes as many as 40 military advisers who will train soldiers in Mali, and 200 British soldiers to be sent to neighbouring African countries, also to help train the Malian army.
French-led forces are continuing their offensive against Islamist militants who seized northern Mali last year.French-led forces are continuing their offensive against Islamist militants who seized northern Mali last year.
International donors have pledged $455.53m (£289m) to tackle militants.International donors have pledged $455.53m (£289m) to tackle militants.
The 330 military personnel comprises of 200 to West African nations, 40 military advisers to Mali, 70 on a RAF Sentinel surveillance aircraft and 20 on a C17 transport plane. The 330 military personnel comprises of 200 to West African nations, 40 military advisers to Mali, 70 on an RAF Sentinel surveillance aircraft and 20 on a C17 transport plane.
A conference taking place in Brussels is expected to decide which countries will contribute troops for an EU military training mission for Mali and discuss details of the mission.A conference taking place in Brussels is expected to decide which countries will contribute troops for an EU military training mission for Mali and discuss details of the mission.
Meanwhile, French-led troops are consolidating their position in the historic Malian city of Timbuktu after seizing it from Islamist extremists. They are then expected to focus on the last rebel stronghold, Kidal. Meanwhile, French-led troops are consolidating their position in the historic Malian city of Timbuktu after seizing it from Islamist extremists. They are then expected to focus on the last rebel stronghold, Kidal. They seized Gao, northern Mali's biggest city, on Saturday.
So does this move by the UK signal a new era of defence co-operation - the fruit of the defence treaty signed by Mr Cameron and the then French President Nicholas Sarkozy at Lancaster House just a few years ago? Well, yes and no. Islamist militants took the north of the country last year, but have been losing ground since French forces launched an operation earlier this month.
British and French forces have already carried out a number of joint military exercises. They've also worked together in battle - most recently joining forces in the overthrow of Libya's Colonel Gaddafi.
But Libya was fought under the Nato umbrella. And Mali is clearly being led by the French. It's not a truly joint operation, or a sign that in the future Britain will always intervene with the French, or vice versa.
It's more an old fashioned "coalition of the willing", based on the shared threat posed by Islamic radicals. Ultimately British and French commanders are not sitting down together in a joint operations room calling the shots.
And when British troops do arrive on the ground in Mali - in relatively small numbers - they'll be working as part of an EU mission.
'What we can''What we can'
Detailing in the House of Commons the "extended support" the UK will offer France , Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said it would: Detailing in the House of Commons the "extended support" the UK will offer France, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said it would:
  • Continue to allow the use of one of two C17 transport planes, which are already flying French equipment to and from Mali, for three months. The RAF has also provided a Sentinel surveillance aircraft
  • Allow the US - which has been involved in airlifting French soldiers and equipment to Mali - to operate air refuelling flights out of Britain
  • Offer a roll-on, roll-off Merchant Navy ferry to help transport equipment to the French force in Mali. It would dock at a port in a West African state to enable the kit to be moved across land to Mali
  • Provide £5m to assist in the training of West African forces
  • Continue to allow the use of one of two C17 transport planes, which are already flying French equipment to and from Mali, for three months. The RAF has also provided a Sentinel surveillance aircraft
  • Allow the US - which has been involved in airlifting French soldiers and equipment to Mali - to operate air refuelling flights out of Britain
  • Offer a roll-on, roll-off Merchant Navy ferry to help transport equipment to the French force in Mali. It would dock at a port in a West African state to enable the kit to be moved across land to Mali
  • Provide £5m to assist in the training of West African forces through two UN funds - £3m directed to Afisma (African-led International Support Mission to Mali) and £2m to support political processes in Mali
The UK also offered to set up a combined joint logistics HQ in Mali. However, so far the French have declined this offer.The UK also offered to set up a combined joint logistics HQ in Mali. However, so far the French have declined this offer.
UK shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy says there were concerns about "mission creep". UK shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said there were concerns about "mission creep".
"The UK commitment to Mali has grown from lending the French two transport aircraft to the deployment of perhaps hundreds of troops to the region," he said."The UK commitment to Mali has grown from lending the French two transport aircraft to the deployment of perhaps hundreds of troops to the region," he said.
"UK trainers may be non-combat but that does not mean they are without risk.""UK trainers may be non-combat but that does not mean they are without risk."
But Mr Hammond stressed: "It is not our intention to deploy combat troops. We are very clear about the risks of mission creep.But Mr Hammond stressed: "It is not our intention to deploy combat troops. We are very clear about the risks of mission creep.
So does this move by the UK signal a new era of defence co-operation - the fruit of the defence treaty signed by Mr Cameron and the then French President Nicholas Sarkozy at Lancaster House just a few years ago? Well, yes and no.
British and French forces have already carried out a number of joint military exercises. They've also worked together in battle - most recently joining forces in the overthrow of Libya's Colonel Gaddafi.
But Libya was fought under the Nato umbrella. And Mali is clearly being led by the French. It's not a truly joint operation, or a sign that in the future Britain will always intervene with the French, or vice versa.
It's more an old fashioned "coalition of the willing", based on the shared threat posed by Islamic radicals. Ultimately British and French commanders are not sitting down together in a joint operations room calling the shots.
And when British troops do arrive on the ground in Mali - in relatively small numbers - they'll be working as part of an EU mission.
"We have defined very carefully the support that we are willing to provide to the French and the Malian authorities.""We have defined very carefully the support that we are willing to provide to the French and the Malian authorities."
Number 10 is also considering who will provide "force protection" for the military advisers. At present, it is envisaged the force protection will not be provided by British soldiers. It is possible existing French forces in Mali could be used.Number 10 is also considering who will provide "force protection" for the military advisers. At present, it is envisaged the force protection will not be provided by British soldiers. It is possible existing French forces in Mali could be used.
The French and Malian military said troops encountered little resistance when they entered the historic city of Timbuktu. They seized Gao, northern Mali's biggest city, on Saturday. Former defence minister Sir Nick Harvey warned the number of personnel involved could rise if the UK had to provide its own force protection.
Islamist militants took the north of the country last year, but have been losing ground since French forces launched an operation earlier this month. "If they (the military advisers) are spread out in different locations providing technical advice to different aspects of the Malian forces then those numbers will begin to climb quite rapidly," he said.
Some 60 to 70 donors had been invited to the international donors conference, held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, to bolster funding.
The $455.53m pledges that were made - for aid projects and the African-led Afisma force that is expected to take over from French troops in the country - represent about half the figure African leaders had requested.
At the opening of the meeting, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said the budget for the multinational force's operation would be $950m - more than double the African Union's initial estimate.
'Politically important'
Military analyst Col Mike Dewar said the initial UK support was short-term but its latest offer of help constituted a "much more long-term plan".Military analyst Col Mike Dewar said the initial UK support was short-term but its latest offer of help constituted a "much more long-term plan".
It could take "years" for the British troops to make a difference to the "ill-trained" Malian army, he said.It could take "years" for the British troops to make a difference to the "ill-trained" Malian army, he said.
Prof Michael Clarke, a director of the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said the British involvement was a "politically important" gesture to illustrate Anglo-French military co-operation.
He said he could not discern a clear strategy at the moment in Mali, but he added: "That is understandable. In Libya we went in for humanitarian reasons and then a strategy evolved. That is what the French did, they went in initially for humanitarian reasons.
"I suspect the strategy [in Mali] will be to guarantee the cities are safe so that Islamists are kicked out and then let time do its work."
The former head of the Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, backed the government's position but warned that nations involved may face a "protracted guerrilla warfare".The former head of the Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, backed the government's position but warned that nations involved may face a "protracted guerrilla warfare".
"It doesn't really surprise me that the British government feels it needs to be seen to be helping," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
"We cannot let states fail because we know from recent history that failed states just lead to really difficult circumstances."