British forces are set to be deployed to war-torn Mali. They will join the United Nations operation in the country as part of an effort to combat Islamist terrorist forces.

About British 250 troops will be sent to Mali to fight the insurgents and participate in reconnaissance missions in jihadi-controlled areas (Picture source: British MoD)

So far, British soldiers have only assisted in training operations: about 30 Army soldiers and Royal Marines have been working in Senegal training special forces from across West Africa. Later this year, an additional 250 troops will be sent to Mali to fight the insurgents head-on and participate in reconnaissance missions in jihadi-controlled areas. The Islamist insurgency has spilled over into neighboring countries, including Niger and Burkina Faso.

Until now, French forces have been the leading non-African contingent in the country with 4,000 troops in the region, mainly involved in Operation Barkhane. Despite tactical successes by French-led forces, the Sahel continues to suffer from Islamist terrorist violence.

Last month, Egyptian President and then-leader of the African Union Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for the creation of a pan-African counter-terrorism force. However, this has faced early pushback and is probably years away from materializing so support from this front should not be considered forthcoming.