The Malian Armed Forces have added 4,500 new soldiers from the 2021 contingent after they completed four months of rigorous training across various military centres in the country.
On Monday, the recruits participated in a flag presentation ceremony.
This expansion of the Malian Armed Forces comes in response to the growing insecurity in some regions, especially northern Mali, with the new soldiers expected to play a vital role in the country’s counterterrorism efforts.
Malian biggest terrorist group is the Tuareg rebels. Tuareg, an ethnic group in the Sahara region, including northern Mali, began their rebellion against Mali in 2012. Although a peace deal was signed in 2015, the rebels withdrew from negotiations at the end of 2022.
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