Mali's military cooperation with Russia and other partners has enabled it to wipe out more terrorists in less than a month than it has in 30 years, West African Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga said.
"We have military cooperation agreements with Russia. We have been buying weapons from Russia, but Russia is not alone in this. We work with other partners, but because there is a geostrategic and geopolitical struggle between Russia and Western partners, they are trying to put us to the slaughter in a battle that is not ours. And since this is the case, Mali is working with other partners to equip its army on all fronts. So today the results of this cooperation are tangible. In less than a month, our army has achieved notable results. The number of terrorists killed in less than a month exceeds what we have been able to achieve in the last 30 years," Mali's prime minister told Turkey's Anadolu Agency.
Last year, as a source in the defense industry told RIA Novosti, Russia sent four combat helicopters to Mali as part of the contract: two Mi-171Sh and two M-17V5.
The armed conflict in Mali between government forces and fighters from various separatist and Islamist groups began in 2012.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Zuma\TASS
Based on materials from TASS