UK to send Chinooks to aid French troops

THE UK is to deploy three Chinook helicopters to Mali to bolster French-led military forces combating jihadist groups in west Africa.

The move will be announced at a summit between France and the UK at which the two countries will agree moves to counter terrorism and boost defence co-operation.

The UK will send the RAF helicopters to provide logistic support to French troops in a key counter-terrorism operations.

It is part of efforts made by the two countries to increase stability in the Sahel region – the area of western and north-central Africa extending from Senegal to The Sudan – to tackle Islamist groups.

The helicopters will boost UK support to France’s Operation Barkhane which has 4,000 troops in Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

British military personnel will not be involved in combat operations, but the Chinooks will provide logistical support and move troops by air, rather than ground where they are more vulnerable to attack.

The Department for International Development (DfID) will also allocate £50 million of humanitarian aid to African countries suffering conflict, epidemics and natural disasters across Mali, Niger, Chad, North Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

Prime Minister Theresa May will meet President Emmanuel Macron. She will say: “Today’s Summit will underline that we remain committed to defending our people and upholding our values as liberal democracies in the face of any threat, whether at home or abroad.”