British troops in Mali help investigate massacre

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Dozens of armed men attacked several villages on August 8 around Outtagouna, near the borders of Niger and Burkina Faso in the south-east of the country, killing dozens. Armed groups aligned with Daesh and al-Qaeda are known to operate in the region.

In the hours following the killings, reports of the massacre began to reach the British contingent of the United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) at its base in Gao, 150 km to the north. Drawn from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment and the Queens Dragoon Guards, the Long Range Reconnaissance Group (LRRG) offers a highly specialized capability to reach remote areas while traveling long distances over difficult terrain.

MINUSMA Force Commander Lt. Gen. Dennis Gyllensporre tasked the LRRG with advancing planned operations and immediately launching into the area in their specially designed all-terrain vehicles for the desert, the task force British force of 250 arriving at the scene less than 36 hours after the attacks. .

The troops immediately secured the villages, offering protection against further attacks and allowing a United Nations human rights task force to question residents and collect physical evidence left behind by the attackers. Due to their rapid arrival, LRRGs were able to provide essential information to support the UN investigation, which will aim to help bring the perpetrators to justice. British staff were also able to use their human security training to engage with all sections of the local population to understand the situation and provide reassurance, with women peacekeepers engaging with local women.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said:

The loss of so many innocent lives is a terrible tragedy. This horrific event is a sad reminder of why British troops are deployed in this difficult and dangerous United Nations peacekeeping mission.

The swift reaction of UK task forces helped UN human rights officials collect vital information about the massacre that could one day see violent extremists held accountable for their crimes, while providing a safety measure to these traumatized communities as a result of this disaster.

The LRRG’s unique ability to deploy not only over great distances, but also to remain on the ground for long periods of time, allowed them to remain on the scene for three weeks, allowing the UN not only to investigate the massacre, but also to protect the villages. of a new attack.

After the return of the UN investigators, the task force continued to patrol the area at night and flew unarmed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) drones over the villages to deter and protect themselves. guard against any further attack on civilians.

In addition, due to the continued security they provided, a UN Civil Affairs Division field mission was able to visit the area, allowing MINUSMA community liaison officers to access the area. to villages not visited for several years.

Lt. Col. Will Meddings, commander of LRRG, said:

Considering the size of the sector in which we operate, it is impossible for MINUSMA to be everywhere, all the time.

However, this operation clearly demonstrated the versatility and wide range of capabilities that the British military brings to the UN mission, rapidly deploying to remote areas to protect towns, respond to attacks on civilians and enable UN civilian teams to do their jobs.

LRRGs have been operational in Mali for nine months, having deployed in December 2020. During this time, the task force traveled to areas where peacekeepers were not previously present, allowing the The UN to protect civilians, gather intelligence and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to isolated communities that would previously have been inaccessible.

In May 2020, during the first such operation carried out by UN forces in the country, they seized a cache of weapons hidden by suspected Daesh militants who were threatening local communities.

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