Polish president agrees to send troops to Mali

Men from Mali wave at a convoy of French tanks and heavy armoured vehicles leaving Senou airport in Bamako, Mali, 05 February 2013. According to the French military, French led forces are in control of Kidal airport with forces from Chad having entered Kidal which was the last major town in northern Mali to be libertated from Islamic militants: photo - EPA/GEORGE HENTON

Spokesman for the National Security Bureau, Marcin Skowron, says the president agreed to release the military instructors at the request of the Malian government under UN Security Council Resolution No. 2071 of 12 October 2012 and No. 2085 of 20 December 2012.

The military contingent will train Mali bomb disposal units and Malian special forces troops.

The operation will cost Poland around 5.8 million zł (around 1.5 million euros) and will be funded by the Defense Ministry.

The Polish government has emphasized that Polish troops will not take part in active combat duty.

Meanwhile, the first attack of the conflict in the west African country by a suicide bomber occurred in the northern Malian town of Gao on Friday.

One Malian soldier was injured in the attack, reports the French AFP news agency.
There are also reports of exchanges of fire between rival soldiers in the capital, Bamako.
Heavily armed soldiers attacked a camp of elite paratroopers, leaving "many injured", a soldier told AFP.

French soldiers, who entered the conflict in December after the government in Bamako called for assistance to fight Islamic insurgents in the north, have taken control of the main villages that were controlled by rebels. (pg)

Source: PAP