Czech army to take charge of EU training mission in Mali

The Czech army will take over leadership of the EU’s military training mission in Mali, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Defence Minister Lubomír Metnar announced at an armed forces high-command meeting on Wednesday. According to the Czech News Agency, Czechs will lead the mission for six months. Their main task will be to help in the establishment and training of Mali’s army, which is currently fighting Islamic radicals in the country.

The Czech Republic currently has around 120 soldiers in Mali. So far, they have been in charge of maintaining security at the military mission’s main command in Bamako and a training base in the Koulikoro region.