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Operation Serval (French:Opération Serval) was aFrench military operation to oust Islamic militants from the north ofMali, who had begun a push into the center of the country.[20][21][22]
By 17 July,MOJWA and Ansar Dine had pushed the MNLA out of all the major cities.[3] On 1 September 2012, the town ofDouentza in theMopti Region, until then controlled by theGanda Iso militia, was taken by the MOJWA,[30] and on 28 November 2012, the MNLA was pushed out ofLéré,Timbuktu Region, by Ansar Dine.[31]
On 13 January, fourRafale fighter jets of the1/7Provence Fighter Squadron flew from theSaint-Dizier Airbase in France to attack targets in the city ofGao. The Rafale planes then proceeded toN'Djamena and would remain based there for the duration of the conflict.[33] By 16 January, the French Air Force dispatched two additional KC-135 Stratotanker planes and twoHarfangUAVs from the 1/33Belfort Reconnaissance Squadron to N'Djamena.[34]
To transport Army troops to Bamako, the Air Force used theAirbus A310 andA340 of the 3/60Estérel Transport Squadron. On 23 January, a detachment ofFusiliers Commandos de l'Air was deployed to the airport in Bamako to provide security for the French Air Force assets stationed there and to executecombat search and rescue missions if necessary. Along with the Fusiliers, the Air Force deployed twoPuma helicopters of the 1/67Pyrénées Helicopter Squadron in the combat search and rescue role to Bamako.[35] On 25 January, the Air Force deployed two additionalRafale fighter jets and two additional KC-135 Stratotanker planes toN'Djamena, bringing the total to six Rafale jets and 5 KC-135's in the theater of operations.[36]
Transall C-160 transport planes from the 1/64Béarn and 2/64Anjou squadrons andC-130H Hercules transport planes from the 2/61Franche Comté squadrons were used to ferry materiel to Bamako, whileTransall C-160 transport planes from the 3/61Poitou Transport Squadron flew reinforcements to the airport ofGao.[37]
Insignia is on the brigade Serval. Based on that of the 3rd Mechanized Brigade with its motto: "One goal, victory" which was added to the map of Mali and insignia of formations that participated in operations in Mali in 2013.
At the end of May 2013, the French Army began to draw down its forces in Mali. For further combat operations, a mixed combat group namedGTIA Désert (Groupement tactique interarmes Désert) was activated in Gao, on 20 May 2013. Only this combat group will remain in the area for further combat operations and to support theMISMA,MINUSMA andEUTM Mali missions, as well as theMalian Army. TheGTIA Désert is composed of the following units:[47]
C-17 transport aircraft from the United States and Canada atIstres-Le Tubé Air Base preparing to load French forces, 21 January 2013.French troops prepare for take-off inside a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft in Istres, France.
These are the forces committed by the countries that support France (in alphabetical order):
Chad: On 16 January, the Chadian government announced that it would deploy 2,000 troops: one infantry regiment with 1,200 soldiers and two support battalions with 800 soldiers. The Chadian forces will not be part of theAfrican-led International Support Mission to Mali, but will be integrated into the French command structure.[53][54][55]
Germany: ThreeGerman Air ForceTransall C-160 were deployed to the Malian capital Bamako to help with the transport of equipment.[58] On 28 February 2013, the German parliament approved sending up to 330 German soldiers to provide engineer mentoring, logistical and medical service to the operation as well as one additionalA310 MRTT air-to-air refueling plane.[59]
Netherlands: Initially, the Dutch government decided to deploy aRoyal Netherlands Air ForceKDC-10 tanker/transport plane. For its first flight, the aircraft picked up its supplies in France and proceeded toN'Djamena inChad, where the French military have a logistic support hub. After 14 January 2013, the Dutch began to fly directly intoBamako.[60][61] Later, the Dutch contribution was increased by an additionalKDC-10 tanker/transport plane, fourC-130 Hercules transport planes, threeCH-47 Chinook transport and Medevac helicopters and oneDC-10 passenger plane.[62]
United Kingdom: TheRoyal Air Force deployed twoC-17 Globemaster III strategic transport planes ofNo. 99 Squadron to the FrenchÉvreux Air Base on 13 January 2013. The planes transported French armored vehicles to the Malian capitalBamako in what the British are callingOperation Newcombe.[67] On 25 January 2013, the UK Ministry of Defence announced the deployment of aSentinel R1 surveillance aircraft to support French forces.[68] The British government announced on 28 January that British troops will deploy to Mali, but that they would not be involved in combat.[69] According to the BBC, on 29 January 2013, it was understood that 40 British advisers were to operate within Mali, and more in other nations, making a total of 350. There was a debate about whether these advisers should be protected by French forces, or by British troops - the latter would result in a deployment of "multiples of dozens".
United States: TheUS Air Force established an air bridge between theIstres-Le Tubé Air Base in the South of France and Malian capital Bamako, using up to fiveC-17 Globemaster III transport planes to ferry French equipment and troops to Mali.[70] A small contingent of American troops provided flight support operations at Bamako.[71] On 26 January, US Defense SecretaryLeon Panetta informed French MinisterJean-Yves Le Drian that the "US Africa Command will support the French military by conducting aerial refueling missions as operations in Mali continue".[72] Over the course of Operation Serval, up to 5 US KC-135 were deployed to conduct Air Refueling missions with French Mirage and Rafales, including an impressive 100 sorties in less than two months.[73] US covertISR aircraft based in Burkina Faso supported the operation.[74]ABC News reported that 150 U.S. military personnel set up and carried out an operation involving surveillance drone over Mali from Niamey.[75]
A map showing the fullest extent of rebel-held territory (January 2013), before it was re-taken by Malian and French forces.
The operation began on 11 January 2013, withFrench ArmyGazelle helicopters armed with 20 mm cannons from the4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment attacking a rebel column nearSévaré. French forces suffered one casualty when a Gazelle attack helicopter came under small arms fire and one of the two pilots was hit. The pilot, Lt. Damien Boiteux, later died of his injuries. The other pilot managed to fly the helicopter back to base, but the aircraft was written off as lost due to the damage sustained.[76][77]
By 12 January, hundreds of French troops were involved in the military operation in Mali,[78] with special focus in theBattle of Konna. The Malian army claimed that, with their help, it had retakenKonna, which it had lost a few days earlier.[79] French airstrikes appeared to stop the rebel advance to the south which prompted the intervention[80] and destroyed an Ansar Dine command post near Konna.[81]
France asked the U.S. to speed up its contribution by sending drones to improve surveillance over the vast area of northern Mali.The Pentagon was reported to have studied the French request.[80] Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom announced that his country would lend logistical support to the operation.[82]ECOWAS troops preparing to deploy to Mali also decided to move up their arrival date to 14 January at the latest.[80]
According toHuman Rights Watch, 10 civilians were killed when Malian forces fought to recapture Konna.[83]
On 13 January, French planes bombed rebels' positions inGao. Air strikes hit a fuel depot and a customs house being used as a headquarters by the Islamist rebels. Dozens of Islamist fighters were killed.[84] A Malian security source put the number of dead fighters at 60.[85] On 15 January, the French defense minister confirmed that the Mali military had still not recaptured Konna from rebel forces, despite earlier claims that they did.[86]
On 15 January, French special forces entered the strategically important central town ofMarkala,[87] describing it as "secured" on 19 January.[88] The French and Malian forces launched a major ground offensive into the North of the country for the first time on 16 January.[89] Along with French help, Malian forces took back control of Konna on 18 January. On 21 January, the Malian military, with the aid of French air support, took possession of Diabaly.[90] The next day,Chadian forces began moving from Niger's capital city,Niamey, toOuallam, a position some one-hundred kilometers south of the Malian border.[91]
On 25 January, it was reported that a combined force of French and Malian troops captured the town of Hombori, about 100 miles south ofGao. French forces also bombed Islamist troops and their supply stores around Gao.[92] This resulted in the destruction of two Islamist bases with fuel stocks and weapon dumps.[93]
On the morning 26 January, French forces captured the airport at Gao and seized the main Wabary bridge over the Niger River into Gao.[94][95] French special forces were also in action against rebels that had melted into the local population.[96] During the next few hours, the French-Malian forces assaulted the town of Gao, backed by French warplanes and helicopters. The Islamists lost a dozen fighters, while the French suffered no losses or injuries. A Malian army spokesman said on 27 January that the "Malian army and the French control Gao today".[94]
On the 27 January, French forces capturedTimbuktu without resistance after Islamist fighters fled the city to avoid French airstrikes.[97][98] In capturing Timbuktu, documents left by AQIM were found revealing the strategic organization of the group.[99] After gaining the airport on 27 January, the next day, Malian and French military sources claimed that the entire area betweenGao andTimbuktu was under government control and access to the city was available.[100][101][102]
Organization of the Serval Brigade from mid-February 2013 after the replacement of GTIA 1 with GTIA 3.
Three days after capturing Timbuktu, French and Malian forces entered the town ofKidal on 30 January, approximately 200 kilometers from the Algerian border. The town and its airport were taken without resistance from Islamic militants. It was the last major town to be held by the militants.[103] Despite the capture of all major towns, French and Malian forces clashed with Islamists outside Gao on 5 February. Several French troops suffered light wounds during the skirmish, which involved long-range small arms and rocket fire.[104] On 8 February, French and Chadian troops claimed to have occupied the town ofTessalit, near the Algerian border, and seat of one of the last airports still not controlled by the Malian government and its allies. The same day, the firstsuicide attack in the conflict took place inGao, resulting in one Malian soldier injured and the death of the attacker.[105] On 10 February, the Islamists made an attack in Gao,[106] which was countered by French and Malian troops securing the nearby area of Bourem on 17 February.[107]
Two French Air ForceRafale fighter jets operating over Mali.
On 19 February, a French soldier (member of theFrench Foreign Legion) was killed during heavy fighting in theAdrar des Ifoghas mountains in the far North East ofMali near the Algerian border.[108] On 3 March, a French paratrooper was killed in the same area and the Chadian army announced the killing of the two Islamic Algerian leaders,Abdelhamid Abou Zeid andMokhtar Belmokhtar. This was not confirmed by the French army.[109] On 5 March, the death of Abou Zeid was confirmed by a member ofAl-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).[110]
On 6 March, a French Army sergeant from the 68th African artillery regiment was killed during an operation in eastern Mali around 100 km (60 miles) from the town of Gao, the former stronghold of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MOJWA). On 17 March, acorporal from the1st Marine Infantry Regiment was killed when his vehicle was hit by anImprovised explosive device in the south ofTessalit in the Adrar des Ifoghas massif. Three other soldiers were wounded by the explosion.[111]
On 30 March, the city ofTimbuktu was attacked when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Malian army checkpoint, allowing a group of rebels to infiltrate by night. A contingent of around fifty French soldiers supported by French fighter jets were then sent to reinforce the Malian army who could not repel the rebel attack. By 1 April, rebel presence in the city was cleared.[112] On 12 April, two suicide bombers detonated their belts,blowing themselves up near a group of Chadian soldiers, in a busy market inKidal. At least three soldiers were killed in the explosion and a dozen of civilians were wounded.[113]
On 11 May 2013, the command of ground operations of in Mali passed from the3e Brigade Mécanisée to the6e Brigade Légère Blindée.[114] On 25 May 2013, French forces began their first stage of withdrawal when a convoy of lorries leftBamako forIvory Coast, carrying equipment and vehicles no longer needed.[115] On 30 July, a French soldier was killed in a vehicle accident and a second soldier suffered injuries. This marked the ninth death among French soldiers killed in support of operations in Mali.
The second in command ofAQIM, Hacene Ould Khalill, was killed during a raid by French special forces nearTessalit in November 2013.[116]
On the evening of 16 April 2014, the French army destroyed twopickup trucks containing jihadists north of Timbuktu. They then used air and ground forces to intercept other vehicles. During the night of 16 to 17 April, the French special forces, backed by troops from Operation Serval and helicopters come in contact with the Islamist fighters. The French began by firing warning shots, but the jihadists refused to surrender and opened fire. Faced with the advance of the French military, they abandoned their vehicles and ran, suffering more losses. According to the French Ministry of Defense "part of the terrorist group" is "neutralized. According to the staff of the armies, a dozen fighters are neutralized, that is to say killed.[117][118]
A number of hostages were abandoned by their jihadist captors at the beginning of the fight. The former hostages were then exfiltrated by the French military. Those released were Malians and four Tuaregs. On the evening of 17 April, in a joint statement, the French president and the president of Mali, announced the release of five hostages. The ICRC also published a statement in which he welcomed the release and said that two humanitarian workers had suffered minor injuries but their life was not in danger.
In the wake of the French deployment, ECOWAS said that it had ordered itsAfrican-led International Support Mission to Mali to be deployed immediately, and the European Union said it had increased preparations for sending a military training mission,EUTM Mali.[119]
UN Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon hoped on 12 January that the French government's decision would "be consistent with the spirit" of UN Security Council resolution 2085 adopted in December.[120]Algerian foreign ministry spokesman Amar Belani expressed support for the Malian transitional authorities, and "noted that Mali has asked, in line with its sovereignty, for friendly powers to reinforce its national capacities to fight terrorism".[121]
Anders Fogh Rasmussen,Secretary General of NATO (2009-2014), said that he did not see a role for the NATO in Mali (NATO can't be the world's policeman, travelling from country to country, solving all the problems. So I think it's a good idea to have a division of labour. [..] the United Nation Security Council has mandated an African-led stabilisation force to take action in Mali).[122]
Germany could take part in any European training mission to Mali to help its government prepare troops to counter the insurgents, German ChancellorAngela Merkel said on 14 January. German foreign ministerGuido Westerwelle ruled out the possibility of German armed forces taking part in a combat mission in Mali, but he also said Germany was prepared to help train theMali Armed Forces.[123]
On 14 January, the Tuareg separatistMNLA declared it would fight alongside the French and even the Malian government to "end terrorism in Azawad". The spokesman also declared that the MNLA would be a more effective force than those of the neighboring West African nations "because of our knowledge of the ground and the populations".[124]
Mathieu Guidère, a scholar of Islam and the Arab world at theUniversity of Toulouse, said in an interview published in the newsmagazineJeune Afrique, that without the French military intervention the state of Mali would have fallen.[125]
France's stated rationale for the operation is that to do otherwise would allow "a terrorist state at the doorstep of France and Europe."[126]
Egypt's former PresidentMohammed Morsi criticized France's intervention.[128]
On 26 January, during theCELAC andEuropean Union summit in Santiago de Chile,Colombia andChile both expressed support for the French military intervention in Mali. Colombia's president,Juan Manuel Santos, stated that "Colombia has suffered so much from terrorism that it can not disagree with this action."[129]
A 2013Al Jazeera poll found that 96% of Malians inBamako supported French intervention.[130]
Shurkin, Michael (2014)."CHAPTER TWO: Operation Serval"(PDF). In Pernin, Chris; Bonds, Tim; Gordon, John; Atler, Anthony; Boston, Scott; Madden, Dan; Pezard, Stephanie; Chivvis, Chris; Shapiro, Jeremy (eds.). France's War in Mali: Lessons for an Expeditionary Army (Report). Santa Monica, California, United States: RAND Corporation (RAND Army Research Division/RAND Arroyo Center's Force Development and Technology program). pp. 5–26. Retrieved6 June 2021.
Leclerc du Sablon, Jean (29 December 1972). Baquet, Dean; Louttit, Meghan; Corbett, Philip; Chang, Lian; Drake, Monica; Kahn, Joseph; Kingsbury, Kathleen; Sulzberger, A.G.; Levien, Meredith Kopit; Caputo, Roland A.; Bardeen, William; Dunbar-Johnson, Stephen; Brayton, Diane (eds.)."Newsmen in Hanoi Visit Street of Ruins". Main section.The New York Times. Vol. CXXI, no. 261.New York City, United States. Agence France-Presse. p. A1.ISSN0362-4331.OCLC1645522. Retrieved6 June 2021.
^abNossiter, Adam; Schmitt, Eric (18 July 2012). Baquet, Dean; Louttit, Meghan; Corbett, Philip; Chang, Lian; Drake, Monica; Kahn, Joseph; Kingsbury, Kathleen; Sulzberger, A.G.; Levien, Meredith Kopit; Caputo, Roland A.; Bardeen, William; Dunbar-Johnson, Stephen; Brayton, Diane (eds.)."Jihadists' Fierce Justice Drives Thousands to Flee Mali". Africa section (World section).The New York Times. Vol. CLXI, no. 139.New York City, United States. p. A1.ISSN0362-4331.OCLC1645522.Archived from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved5 June 2021.
^Nasser, Heba (27 August 2013). Haboush, Joseph; Habib, Osama; Nasser, Heba; Merehbi, Nazha; Quilty, Jim; Jabra, James; Obeid, Christele; Abboub, Nisrin; Halwain, Nadine; Mrowa, Kamel; Elbissar, Salma; Mrowa, Malek; Mrowa, Karim; Mroue, Jamil; Feghali, Madona (eds.)."Mali's new president thanks Chad for support against Islamists".The Daily Star (Libya).Bamako, Mali: The Daily Star Group.Agence France-Presse. Archived fromthe original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved6 June 2021.
^Nossiter, Adam; Schmitt, Eric; Gladstone, Rick; Sayare, Scott (12 July 2013). Baquet, Dean; Louttit, Meghan; Corbett, Philip; Chang, Lian; Drake, Monica; Kahn, Joseph; Kingsbury, Kathleen; Sulzberger, A.G.; Levien, Meredith Kopit; Caputo, Roland A.; Bardeen, William; Dunbar-Johnson, Stephen; Brayton, Diane (eds.)."Jihadists' Fierce Justice Drives Thousands to Flee Mali". Africa section (World section).The New York Times. Vol. CLXII, no. 140.New York City, United States. p. A1.ISSN0362-4331.OCLC1645522.Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved5 June 2021.
United States
Bilal Ag Acherif
Abdelhamid Abou Zeid †
2 killed[16]
Belgium: TheBelgian Army deployed twoAir ComponentC-130H Hercules transport planes and twoMedical ComponentAgusta A109 Medevac medical evacuation helicopters along with 80 support personnel to Mali.[50]
Canada: ARoyal Canadian Air ForceC-17ER Globemaster III deployed to France to assist with the transport of troops and materiel from France to Mali for one week.[51] According toFrench Ambassador to CanadaPhilippe Zeller, the Government of France had requested former Prime MinisterStephen Harper to extend the Canadian deployment.[52]
Chad: On 16 January, the Chadian government announced that it would deploy 2,000 troops: one infantry regiment with 1,200 soldiers and two support battalions with 800 soldiers. The Chadian forces will not be part of theAfrican-led International Support Mission to Mali, but will be integrated into the French command structure.[53][54][55]
Denmark: ARoyal Danish Air ForceC-130J-30 Super Hercules with 40 support personnel was deployed on 15 January to Mali.[56][57]
Germany: ThreeGerman Air ForceTransall C-160 were deployed to the Malian capital Bamako to help with the transport of equipment.[58] On 28 February 2013, the German parliament approved sending up to 330 German soldiers to provide engineer mentoring, logistical and medical service to the operation as well as one additionalA310 MRTT air-to-air refueling plane.[59]
Netherlands: Initially, the Dutch government decided to deploy aRoyal Netherlands Air ForceKDC-10 tanker/transport plane. For its first flight, the aircraft picked up its supplies in France and proceeded toN'Djamena inChad, where the French military have a logistic support hub. After 14 January 2013, the Dutch began to fly directly intoBamako.[60][61] Later, the Dutch contribution was increased by an additionalKDC-10 tanker/transport plane, fourC-130 Hercules transport planes, threeCH-47 Chinook transport and Medevac helicopters and oneDC-10 passenger plane.[62]
Spain: ASpanish Air ForceC-130 Hercules with 50 support personnel was deployed on 18 January to Mali to help with the transport ofAfrican-led International Support Mission to Mali personnel. Spain later added aC-295 plane to assist in troop movements in Mali.[63] An additional 30 soldiers were sent on 13 February to protect allied instructors.[64]
Sweden: The Swedish government allowed France the use of the Swedish share of theNATO Strategic Airlift Capability. Therefore, oneHeavy Airlift WingC-17 Globemaster III strategic transport plane was dispatched from thePápa Air Base inHungary to France to aid in the transport of materiel and troops to Mali.[65] Also, six Swedish parachute rangers fromFallskärmsjägarna will assist as instructors for Mali's armed forces.
United Arab Emirates: TheUnited Arab Emirates Air Force deployed twoC-17 Globemaster III transport planes to aid in the transport of materiel and troops from France to Mali.[66]
United Kingdom: TheRoyal Air Force deployed twoC-17 Globemaster III strategic transport planes ofNo. 99 Squadron to the FrenchÉvreux Air Base on 13 January 2013. The planes transported French armored vehicles to the Malian capitalBamako in what the British are callingOperation Newcombe.[67] On 25 January 2013, the UK Ministry of Defence announced the deployment of aSentinel R1 surveillance aircraft to support French forces.[68] The British government announced on 28 January that British troops will deploy to Mali, but that they would not be involved in combat.[69] According to the BBC, on 29 January 2013, it was understood that 40 British advisers were to operate within Mali, and more in other nations, making a total of 350. There was a debate about whether these advisers should be protected by French forces, or by British troops - the latter would result in a deployment of "multiples of dozens".
France
al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Media related toOperation Serval at Wikimedia Commons