1st Czech Armed Forces (CAF) Task Force EUTM in Mali
The Czech Republic has joined the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) in Mali in a bid to support Armed Forces of the Republic of Mali in their effort to suppress insurgents' activities, and deliver additional military equipment. The deployment was passed by both chambers of the Czech Parliament.
1st Czech Armed Forces (CAF) Task Force EUTM in Mali
Commander
- Captain Marek Krajcik
Deployment: 03/2019 - 11/2019
While the task of the 1st Czech unit was to guard the EUTM Headquarters in the capital of Bamako in cooperation with Malian and French soldiers, from the 2nd unit the Czechs also train Malian soldiers as instructors.
Commander of the 1st Czech Task Force EUTM assumed the operational task on the 18th March 2019 to serve in Mali.
Czech soldiers closely cooperate with French, Spanish, Malian and German soldiers. They train Malian soldiers at the Koulikoro Training Centre (KTC), approximately 60 km off Bamako.
In the beginning of Czech participation in the mission in 2013, the mandate was for a period of 15 months and up to 50 soldiers. Throughout the years, the Czech Parliament repeatedly prolonged the deployment of the same number of personnel but according to resolutions of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies from May and June 2018, the Czech contribution was reinforced with extra 70 soldiers.
Even though the guard mission of the EUTM HQ Base in Bamako remains the primary one, soldiers also protect KTC, train Malian soldiers, escort convoys and carry out patrol activities. The new unit commanded by Captain Thomas Mikulec is fully operational as the part of a joint Spanish-Czech KTC battalion.
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Previous Czech units in EUTM, Mali
Updated: Juni 1, 2020