Poland Supplies Arms to Mali

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Poland is helping Mali to fight the Islamic rebels in its Northern region.

Poland’s Ministry of Defense has supplied arms to the Malian Army, the Ministry said in a statement. The Polish Army operates in Mali as part of the European Union Training Mission (EUTM). “Poland provided close to 170 tons of military equipment to the Malian armed forces,” the statement said. The arms and equipment were donated on the request of the Malian government.

Polska Zbrojna, the Polish Army’s official publication, reported that the supplied arms include unguided rocket launchers, AKM assault rifles, RPG rounds, as well as 7.62mm and 12.7mm ammunition. The procurement is worth more than 11 million zloty (US $3.6 million).

iHLS – Israel Homeland Security

According to Defense News the Polish military is currently providing training and advisory assistance to the Malian armed forces to support the government’s fight with Islamist rebels, who are concentrated in northern Mali.

Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski authorized Poland’s participation in the EUTM in February. Polish troops are currently deployed to military bases in Mali’s capital city, Bamako, and in Koulikoro. Poland’s military mission is scheduled to conclude by the end of this year.