Nigerian ECOMOG troop reinforcements disembark from a NAF C130 at Lungi, Sierra Leone, 28 May 1997
BAMAKO, Jan. 13 (Xinhua)
As part of support to the Malian army against rebel forces, groups of French and Nigerian soldiers landed Bamako on Saturday afternoon, Malian military sources said.
Military sources said the French soldiers
came from Chad and Cote d’Ivoire,where
they were based. They came with their
materials and food.
Shortly after their arrival, a Nigerian
military aircraft also landed in Bamako,
sending Nigerian troops to join regional
forces to flush out rebels in northern Mali. The sources did not give figures of the troops arrived in Mali Saturday. However, a mobilization of international forces have already started.
Earlier, France had dispatched 200
troops from Chad to back the Malian
government forces to block the rebel
fighters from further southward
movement. It was reported that with the support of French air raid, the Mali army has successfully pushed back the rebels in the last few days from Konna, a military base of the army invaded by the rebels on Thursday.
The Nigerian troops were part of the
regional forces as the Economic
Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) has authorized member states to send troops to support Malian defense forces to fight against the rebels who occupied the northern part of the country since March 2012 following a military coup.
Cote d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara,chairman of ECOWAS, on Friday declared the start of a U.N.-mandated operation to deploy some 3,000 African soldiers to Mali. The troops will be deployed or arrived in Mali by Monday at the latest, said Ali Coulibaly, Cote d’Ivoire’s African Integration Minister.
The multinational force is expected to be led by Nigerian Major- General Shehu Abdulkadir. On Saturday evening, Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs Mankeur Ndiaye announced that his country was to send 500 troops to Mali to assist the Malian army to regain the occupied land. Burkina Faso and Niger have earlier announced each of them would send 500 soldiers to Mali.
The United Nations recently asked the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS to produce a detailed plan for a possible
military intervention in northern Mali.
Beegeagle's Blog 
More boots on the ground. Hit them hard boys.
Y-A-Y..do not miss this, guys.
At the about 20.03hrs(GMT+1) on CCTV, I saw footage of the arrival of our glorious troops. FIRST African boots in officially and most heartwarming was the fact that they came – I SAW with my own eyes – in one of the hazegray-colored twin-engined Alenia G222, our midsized, medium-range military airlift plane.
The size of the contingent suggests that a compact team of specialists – SF or combat engineers, were flown in on that one flight. Nobody knows if any C130s were on their way to Mali nor if other G222s were on the way.
We shall keep you in the know but be sure to tune in to CCTV News at the top of the next hour. The clip would play out between 2100 and 2103 hrs(GMT+1) MAX.
I also noticed an Air Vice Marshal of the NAF in fatigues and dark glasses talking to some Malian and Senegalese officers
PROUD. We must always go out in our own military airlift planes. It is a morale booster. FG, take note. Say no to free flights.
The Beeg one, words cannot express how elated I am. Please provide us with pics if possible. God speed boys…and take no prisoners.
The Beeg one, I saw the same footage. Our G222 (with the green and white roundel proudly painted on it) and the AVM. I felt so proud.
An upgraded Alenia G222 medium lift plane flanked by a pair of upgraded Alpha Jet aircraft
An Alenia ATR 42-500MP Surveyor escorted by freshly upgraded L39 Albatros jets
A G222 has already been spotted and confirmed to be on the Mali shuttle. The modernised Alpha Jet aircraft, iconic airframes in the folklore of West Africa(Dodo birds to Liberians and Pa Alpha to Sierra Leoneans), are sure to see action in Mali.
NAF recce invariably would entail the deployment of Alenia ATR 42-500MPA Surveyor radar planes. Not to forget the C130 Hercules planes.
Yeah, that is the INTEGRITY around which our activities on this blog are anchored.
We say it exactly as it is or we keep quiet entirely 🙂 That is the code of honour which binds us together.
Uhmmm….where are the Ghanians 😀 ?
Frying kenkey and preparing Omo to feed our boy and wash their fatigues after they have done the fighting loool
Ask Afua…she should know!
Perhaps they are still shinning their boots…
She finally buried her head in sand and wrote a piece which pretty much confirm the arrival of Nigerian troops in Mali. The sad part is her libelous piece still shows up high on Google ranking anytime a search of Nigerian military is conducted online. Thankfully so is this blog.
About time she did, BigBrovar.
What we believe is that we know our country’s socio-cultural, political and military story too well to allow anybody get away with any unclear agenda. They have taken us for a gallopy ride for way too long and as such, that free rein has to be brought to a screeching halt.
Any level which they want us to operate on, we are ready to reciprocate. We do not blush at all and are willing to be the hunter or the hunted as the case may be.
So anyone who feels the need to be mischievous, tactless or voluble even when talking nonsense at high decibel, shall be fair game for us. But the fight against that media-led hounding and shortchanging of our country and people has to start from somewhere.
The same measure that they give, they must be willing to receive. So anyone with tender nerves needs to climb down from the pursuit of folly.
These last two days have been ( sorry the whole weekend has been very, very good news for Nigeria) We now know despite the denials ( who cares any more Nigerians WER OR HAVE BEEN IN MALI right after Thursday’s last debacle by the Malian Army) that was the last straw for the french . It is also the first time since ihave been aborn that a french president paid HOMAGE to our Gallant WARRIORS. God bless Nigeria always We are filled WITH PRIDE and even though We cannot see the g222 landing in Bamako you literally can sense the tension in Bamako .
i wish I COULD SAY IT IN french but i will say it in English. ” The Nigerians don’t run they know one GO .
The training and retraining will now be put to good use for our cross border enemies. GOD SPEED
GOD BLESS STAY SAFE.
I will not waste much TIME with Ms AFUA except to refer her back to my rejoinder . I said when the real fighting starts we will know who be doing the fighting and who will be doing sentry duty.We already know who the senior AFRICAN COMMANDER IS ( Nigerian) enough said.
Nigeria should seriously consider pulling out from our UN commitments in darfur. I know it is a cash cow, but that brigade worth of troops would be better used in country, or better yet, in mali.
If nigeria wants to make brigade level troop comnitments to UN missions, like the pakistanis, the indians and the bangladeshis, and also stay abreast of local and regional hotspots, then we must grow the size of our combat troops to the levels of the said nations. At least to the 275,000 level presented by bangladesh.
NA has to put it’s best foot forward. The president and the entire legislature SHOULD BE HELD CULPABLE, if our brave forces are again not equiped with the wherewithal to fight and win decisively.
OGA DOZIEX
Not only are you right but i believe owning to the inevitable intensity of this conflict ,Nigeria will within weeks increase her commitment to a minimum of at least a 1,000 soldiers( battalion strength) which will inevitably force her to scale back a bit from the SUDAN do not forgetthe same thing however regrettably happened in S/L and Liberia.
Over and out! God speed boys!,Where d hell is NTA,STV,CHANNELS AND AIT,pls any one wit their contacts?,facebook page link? Pls share let’s link them up.thanks!
General Beeg! Mornining sir na wah ooo, togo dey send soldiers,benin republic they send soldiers why ghana no fit send soldiers. This people are not neighbourly at all they be coward ! U go see say wen the operation don reach 6months wen we don do all the hard work na dat time dey go begin to send their army but we go restrict them to dey cook for us, we no need those pusses by our side
Abiola u na wah oo!
Na to throw dampeners and to ‘set leg mek waka pass fall down’ wey Cherleys dey into.
Imagine for a minute that the Ghanaians were in that country and Nigeria at home. To rub it in, the British media(you know who) would have played up that one right through the roof. Remember the outrightly callous coverage aimed at stoking feelings of envy which they championed when Obama visited Ghana? They actually insinuated that it probably marked the eclipse of Nigeria as a regional hegemon. It did not matter to them that he did not visit his ancestral homeland of Kenya.
As far as I am concerned, the British media have an inexplicable grouse against Nigeria. Okay, FOUR DAYS after the VOA, XINHUA, REUTERS and the Malian Army told the world that Nigerian and Senegalese troops are fighting alongside the Malians and TWO DAYS after VIDEO FOOTAGE of Nigerian troops landing in Mali first appeared, the British electronic media are STILL talking about West Africans PLANNING to send troops into Mali? What is that – selective amnesia? We went in since Thursday!!
They are trying so hard to throw dampeners into the noble efforts of the French – perhaps the Africans need to be allowed to grow into their own..perhaps the threat to the South was after all exaggerated. Playing the devil’s advocate, they tried goading a military analyst Paul Beaver (he did not step on the banana peel) into suggesting that the West Africans would not be able to make a dent..a question which certainly would not have asked if Nigeria were home and Ghana in,
All of that to take the shine off a superlative performance by the French Air Force, taking off from Chad, taking off from France to bomb Malian targets. Which African country has EVER undertaken such strikes across vast distances entailing in-flight refuelling?
If Ghana were in there and Nigeria at home, oh..sorry for Nigeria. That is how favoured they are by the British media who have continued to show that they do not mind affronting Nigerian sensibilities while protecting the tender nerves of Ghanaians – delicate egos which must not be bruised.
That is their stock-in trade. The day that they need to talk to children on UNESCO Day for the Girl Child, they would go to Accra since there is nothing ruinous to the image entailed in that. However, when it is time to report about and dent someone’s image while claiming to discuss the wastage of food, corrupt policemen, armed robbery or rape, the best example has to be Nigeria. It is not like cops in Ghana or Cameroon do not take bribes. It is not as if citizens do not commit rape or rob people in those countries either.
The depth of the systematic and vicious British media gang-up against Nigeria beggars belief. For people who love to play off Ghana against Nigeria in some phantom rivalry between absolute unequals, the Ghanaian abscondment from Mali is the reason why the Nigerian efforts in Mali are being heavily downplayed by the British media as we speak…just so that their tender-nerved darlings in Ghana do not suffer bruised egos. Sad but true.
Dem Britico nuh laik we and we sef nuh send dem. Na so e be..notin dey insai pass dat wan. 🙂 Bad belle pipul wey get issues wit all dem ex-colonies wey big pass dem – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Naija…just because we all do not kowtow to them. “Tail nuh dey shake dog, na dog dey shake tail.”
Nuh be dem fault. “Fish rotin, na im mek worm fi enta mout”. But we go still pass dem wan day – China don already blow pass dem. Brazil and India go soon pass dem.
I have been saying this for over a year now. This is who the british are. They are “haters” by nature. And would never really mean well for nigeria. As nigeria’s scarcely fulfilled potential offends/threatens every fiber of their fragile psyche.
Shame on any african nation, that would willingly allow themselves to be a tool of the english and their 2faced shenanigans.
As for nigeria, it’s time we pay attention to beegeagle’s blog, and wake the fuck up. Any politician or military general that doesn’t know this about the british, is an intellectual light weight, and hence, not fit for service.
The UK is a world power, and plenty can be gained from them. But first of all, you’ ve got to know who they are, what makes them tick, and then calibrate your relationship accordingly.
Well said my Generals.the brits have been forced to drink cheap wine.stupid pple.a collapsing empire trying to drag a rising hegemon(sheck N.I.S predictions)wit it.God pass dem.I hope someone out there is taking note of dis authoritative blog.on my part i will introduce a friend of mine whose dad is a top officer in NDC to this blog.it could help.
Be back later generals.got to study to make Naija greater.
We have a conflict in Mali, with the French, Nigerians, Senegalese etc taking part and yet so many write ups with British this, British that?
Do you see them worrying about you and yours?
Abeg stop this caterwauling? Its pointless, we have a fascinating event in front of us and we are worrying about the British media and a few minor journalists.
The point has been made abeg let it go.
Seconded!
Bros no vex..we have freedom of speech….And mind you we give due time to the French, Nigerians and Senegalese as well as other contributing Armies…including Ghana. And yes…they worry about us thats why they write thrash about us in the first place.
Latest news MUJAO is counter attacking west of Mopti at Diabaly. Fighting ongoing. Gao under air attack no reports of ground forces yet.
Use of Rafale’s from either Corsica or metropolitan France would indicate an increase in sortiies and targets.
General sir! Just in an alqaida commander Abu Zaid has just led his fighters from mauritania into mali and are attacking the town of Diabili which is 400km from bamako in a counter offensive ! According to jeune Afrique which I am monitoring via twitter despite the french airforce overnight bombardment along the mali-mauritanian border they were able to sneak in and are now attacking that city! The french have mobilized their jets and are presently useing pinpoint airstrikes with their rafale and it seems that the nigerian led African force may be depolyed their with the french to do some ground work !according to residents of Gao,timbuktu and kidal the town is nearly empty of those jihadis as they have fled! The french all night in those cities have targeted and eliminated their ammo and fuel supplies they say the nigerian led west africn forces would soon be able to occupy those cities and the attack by Abu Zaid from mauritania is merely diversionary to aid their escape as the french is using overwhelming airpower and arehopeful that the offensive may be over within weeks
Hmn, that is good to know, MK0 Jr. I was sure that there would be out-of-the-way details coming through in French language. That is what I have noticed from keeping tabs in fits and stops on France 24 and TV5 through the years.
Concerning your understanding of the analysis of the commentary from the other side of the Channel, read my first post of the day. Information has since become propaganda..stereotypically. They advance their views and add actuality reports which seek to create a semblance of universality to even an unpopular opinion.
For people who revel so muc in expert analysis, the Algerian, Malian and Nigerien Foreign ministers between the time of the meeting of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum which held in Algiers in November 2011 and January 2012…not to forget the US AFRICOM Commander himself, have ALL alluded to AQIM-BH synergies. This was why Nigeria was specifically invited to the Quadripartite Talks between nextdoor neighbours Algeria, Niger, Mali and Mauritania which held in Nouakchott in January 2012.
Last month, ANSARU kidnapped a French national in Katsina State near the Niger border and made it clear that they were doing so in solidarity with Malian terrorists with whom they openly collaborate, having seized the Italian and Briton who got killed in Sokoto last year.
Still, these media folk continue to gloss over that fact in their skewed reportage of events. That was why they have this evening aired a report using actuality feed from Kaduna, almost certainly anchored by their Hausa Service hatchetmen, in which all three respondents appeared to be opposed to the Mali expedition – creating the illusion of universality in that worldview. But Nigerians know that the majority in the Middle Belt and in the South are clearly aware of the Mali-BH connection which makes it IMPERATIVE that Nigeria be in Mali irrespective of the ECOWAS agenda
Information is being carefully manipulated in traditionally antagonistic manner, so we must tell our own story now that THEY are tuned in here as well.
According to Sky News in the last 5 mins, the British government is sending two plane loads of equipment and personnel, though the British government will not deploy its soldiers in a combat role.
They are already there that c-17 that is flying into BAMAKO is not flying in with ” AREA BOYS (AGBERO) to offload those french tanks and french apcs.Also the British inthis instance will support the French Ignore completely what is being said on BBC or think the complete opposite .Like OGA DOZIEX said recalibrate your thinking to the way the Brits think
Malian town of Diabaly seized after rebel counter attack. There needs to be a consolidation of ground troops working in tandem with air support. Videos I’ve seen of rebels heavily armed with technicals, BTR’s, mortars and air support.
General sir! Don’t think that the sabotage operation of the BBC is limited to nigeriaooo, pls watch BBC news and you would notice how they are even pouring cold water on the french military efforts in mali bringing in arabs analyst to analyze the war and even doubting the french claiming that they doubt what they are saying and claiming that the islamist are hardened than us(nigeria and the rest) and it may not be as we are saying etc! Can u imagine beefing a fellow nato member! The french intelligence should keep an eye on the brits in case of sabotage,they forget that without the french refusing to resupply the argentines they would have never have being able to take back the falklands
General Beeg, am really feeling the pulse, am so happy our boys are playing a forward role in Mali.
Ehen abeg where them Kofi and kwame dey?
Preparing architectural drwings for building Bridges and Roads
Op Serval Sitrep as of 13/01/2013
Mirages continued strikes North of Konna-Lere continuing into the night
4 x Rafale deployed from France and attacked Gao
Exisitng company from 2RIMA have been reinforced by another company from metropolitan France
Log support is being provided by 2 x A310s, and 2 x C17s (RAF) the latter are being used to transport AMX-10s
For the Britain haters here’s something for you the RAF C17 broke down shortly before take off. Hope that cheers you up a bit.
Analysis
France is going to reap a rather harsh whirlwind fromthis op. There will definitely terror attacks in France, further kidnappings and attacks on French nationals and assets.
As well as the existing hostages being essrntially written off, not withstanding loss of equipment and personnel in the op and the attendant financial costs this is a very risky strategic proposition fro France. The pay off is also not so sure.
The force mix suggests there will be a follow up ground assault utilising the mobility and firepower of the mechanised infantry with their AMX-10s. Combined with air power there is little hope of the Jihadists standing and fighting.
The jihadists know this and are unlikely to fight, the French have given credence to their fighting skill and tactical ability which I remarked on earlier in their ability to recover quickly from the surprise of air attack to damage a Gazelle and fatally wound an experienced pilot. Lucky shot or not someone was brave and capable enough to take it, considering this is meant to be the ‘new’ and unseasoned battalions of Ansar as Shura that have been deployed that is food for thought.
The jihadists have also shown their tactical skill in attacking Daibaly and thus drawing Malian forces away from the main and obvious axis of advance which is up the main highway RN15 from Mopti to Gao etc.
Attacks into the enemy depth in Gao suggest an operation reminiscent of the Indian/ Nigeria op in SL that was overshadowed by the UK’s Op Barrass,
A strong and aggressive mechanised thrust up the main road with troops landing by helicopter deep in the rear to fix and cut off the enemy retreat and using air power to destroy them.
The French will have to move quick as the terrain and nature of the targets indicates this is a very obvious move and the enemy commanders are obviously not slack and if I was them by now I would have dispersed.the attacks in Diabaly could also be a reaction to the attacks in and around Lere, which will cut the enemy off from falling back into Mauratania.
Bearing in mind the likely SF action taking place, I would guess the French will launch a combined ground assault with the Malians leaving the Senegalese/ Nigerians to secure Bamako, they will most likely follow the obvious axis up the RN15, but with some jara and fisi air assaults.
I would expect the French to lead with Malians being dragged along for good measure. They will hold unmtil relieved in place by the ECOWAS force.
The jihadists will fight bravely and capably but their main effort is not to resist the assault but defeat the task force so their counter attack will be all over the AO overwhelming friendly forces with IEDs, indirect fire, ambushes, assassinations etc until they are unable to generate enough combat power for force protection and combat operations much less stabilisation and peace keeping. At such a time they start falling back and then conceding territory. The Islamists will then rebuild and we’ll be back at square one
Friendly vulnerabilities:
Inadequate Force numbers
Incompatibility- Francphone/ Anglophone, different weapon systems, equipment, radios, vehicles, tactics and doctrine
Different fighting skills
Inadequate logistics
Poor political will for a long drawn out and bloody insurgency
Poor internal capacity to counter the terrorist attacks against the home countries
Inadequate equipment. I suggest support helicopters will be more important than attack helicopters in the long run
Enemy vulnerabilities:
Outgunned
Unpopular foreigners (in terms of tribe and religion)
Tribal. Racial and ethnic divisions
Funds from criminal networks will dry up as there will be no smuggling as long as there is fighting
They are surrounded by hostile countries
The core fighters are businessmen and will cut a deal at some point, leading almost inevitably to a jihadist civil war like in Algeria.
Best Friendly Course of action:
Destroy the enemy with an air- ground assault to liberate the main population centres and secure the border and drug smuggling areas.
Dominate those areas with a series of fire bases and force the enemy to come to attack those bases so they can be destroyed with firepower. Let the French take West African forces though their FOO/FAC courses so they can call in air strikes from Chad as well as organic ECOWAS forces.
Train up the Malians to hold ground.
The main effort is to defeat and isolate the hard core, negotiate with the moderates and destroy what’s left
We are living in interesting times
Diabaly has fallen to MUJAO.
In the highest traditions of the Malian Army, they ran away after a days fighting
Na wah o. These A – holes will from girls disguised with Turbans
Thank you for the Breath taking analysis Iam not Soldier by training so I am not as well versed with military tactics however I am well versed in Miltary History.
Iexpect:
1)Just like what happened in VIETNAM a TET offensive ( Suicidal) on Bamako inthe next coming weeks for the terrorists to sow panic.
2) Wherever the Nigerians are based SF or Regular Forces the Enemy will infiltrate and just like the RUF did in SL they will want to test the resolve and commitment of the Nigerians for them the Nigerians are the key My brothers expect heavy FIGHTING
3) Mopti for some reason seems to be the key/ allure for these Jihadists I do not believe this is a feint Oga peccavvi I don’t know how many French/ Malian citizens live there OR how close it is to BAMAKO but i believe eithier reinforce it with Nigerians, Senegalese and french or it risked being overrun
Sorry Computer Acting up
5) Britain will come into this war Fellow Cyber Generals take the finger of the bashing button they will be making Round about Flights with their C-17s one broke does not mean a thing they eight extra ones they are in this AS A Nato Member and in conjuction with the US they will deploy special forces those C-17 are not flying empty just like the Nigerians and Senegalese DENIABILITY will be key do not forget one of their citizens was killed in Nigeria
6) The role of the Algerians will be key if the French are allowed air space they are fufilling one part of the bargain they also share : how long a 1000km border with Mali do they seriously enforce it?
7) No oga peccavi these guys are not going to melt into the streets of Bamako as Evidence is begining to show Heavy Fighting ( suicidal) is on going these guys are buoyed by the absolute cowardrice of the malian soldiers the shock of fighting the FRENCH or NIGERIANS has not yet set in the evidence is there in that they are still launching counter offensives and taking TOWNS(DIYALA? Sorry spelling is off)
8) We know they have tanks , and apcs thanks to the malians ( father xmas) we also know courtesy of the crumbling GADDAFI govt they do have heavy Anti Aircraft guns Nigeria and French need both ATTACK and Support Helios
9) Stay tuned.
Marshal Hussein, wey you na? Cherley dem go AWOL sha
Chei Hussein, wai na? How could you have disappeared like that? What’s the latest on the Mahindra Marksman mine-protected Light Patrol Vehicle?
Abeg, check and let us be swapping emails backstage.
Thank you for the SITREP, Peccavi.
Er, what is with the support helicopters over attack helicopters – with BRDM-2 scout cars, BM 21 MRLs, BTR 60 APCs and even T55 tanks..all seized from Malian troops last March/April,crawling around?
Why that?
I mean in the long run. The heavy weapons will most likely be destroyed early on and the surviving ones will be picked off one by one by ground forces. Maintenance and fuelling issues and a lack of experienced personnel will reduce their use and effectiveness. They will end up as prestige platforms only used when there is an absolute guarantee of success. This will take 1-3 months at the current operational tempo.
Once we get to the insurgency stage holding ground in the inhospitable terrain with few motorable roads will not be about fighting it will be about sustaining. A well sited base with well led and well equipped troops can hold off a good sized attack. The enemy will not concentrate in numbers above 30 as they will be easily destroyed by artillery and airpower,, thus a platoon sized base should be able to hold out as long as you can evacuate casualties and provide ammo, food, fuel and water. Without that the base will die. AH will be still needed and important but SH is decisive
Fair enough. Fluid situation still. We shall see how things shape up from here.
Henry once showed us a report which showed that in addition to 56 units of Carl Gustav, the NA also retain 100 units of the French-made APILAS. That, in addition to the very large stock of M40 106RRs.
Since we have little or no need for those against BH who use classic guerrilla tactics and rely on IED and suicide attacks, the troops going to Mali should be inundated with those.
With or without motorised cartage of same, infantrymen lying on his bellies can wipe out not a few ‘technicals’ from half-a-mile out even before the adversary knows that he has gun sights trained on him. Those would be priceless in the urban warfare.
Guinea are almost sure to come. Good warriors in the loop. Given their known tenacity in battle, a town garrisoned by two platoons each of Nigerian, Guinean and Senegalese troops (roughly 200 in all) and joined by a battalion of Malian troops is sure to witness ferocious resistance.
Let me also add that we must lavishly support these troops with artillery. We are never gonna use those against BH because they do not hold territory. The NA do not have any local CTCOIN need for even one piece of her nearly 600 towed, BM21/APR 21 and SP artillery pieces. They are able to field one-and-a-quarter times more numerous APILAS, Carl Gustav and M40 anti-tank weapons and recoilless rifles, not to forget 81mm, 82mm and 120mm mortars as well.
The rebels in Mali are firepower-intensive. We have too much in the arsenal to throw at them and as such must match them blast for blast. That is precisely what the heavy bombardment by the French is about.
Beeg, easy on the info! Our enemies do read this class leading blog too! Especially since the Naija boys are getting into the mix. Let them expect the unexpected!
Oga SOMORIC
There is nothing ABOUT THIS INFO that is ground breaking, You can have all the Equipment go ask the remnants of LIBYA’S FORCES. You still need the men to use it appropriately.
The military action would surely drag down into an insurgency. My fear is nigerian been drawn into an insurgency abroad, when we have one to deal with in the country. The expedition in mali, though humanitarian and done also in good faith is too much of a draw on valuable resources and manpower. We cannot be fighting on multiple fronts at this point in time, the military is overly stretched. Since we have landed in mali, completely ending the mission in darfur and recalling troops in Guinea should be top priority for defence strategist at ship house. We currently have troops deployed in 34 of nigeria’s 36 states, and many more abroad. Good a thing we haven’t had any major skirmishes with boko haram over the last couple of weeks. My take, troops in sudan and guinea should be brought back home. Seeing the weapons, considering also the amount of arms smuggled from libya after the fall of gaddafi, we( nigeria, ecowas troops and the french) would be stupidly naïve to underestimate in any ramifications the strength of the islamist in mali.
This would not just be a short campaign, the malians have shown cowardice at every turn always absconding and leaving heavy, light weapons behind. What is that???? I do not know how the malian army can get her together, but it is un acceptable that they keep running away like “chickens”, they should stand up and die for their father land, at least they are lots of foreigners in the country trying to help out in this effort. It is a collective effort, truly. However how would malian troops deal with the insurgency that comes next when eventually foreign troops help them tackle with this current problem and leave??
Excellent point. But rather than stretch the Army further, why not offload some of those internal security responsibilities to seasoned NPF MOPOL squadrons and NAF Regiment, and some specialised ops to the NPF ATS and DSS/SSS Tactical Units? This will go a long way in freeing up additional military units for ops in Mali.
Tehehe…Oga Somoric, na belle dey sweet your boy jare. These birds really look so easy on the eye – nice colour splashes. The mighty C130-H30s next.
We were gisting about something yesterday after you returned from serioouss AWOL :)..ditto Doziex. We shall pick up that thread later tonight. Nuh mind me..the blog has absolutely exploded with traffic. 99% of blogs do not manage the number of hits in a day which we have been fortunate to have garnered by midday.
We normally have two peak periods -9am to noon when Nigerian/UK readers seize the blog and after 3pm when all of America has woken up.
Not complaining..tis all good. Proves that we are still on top of the game as far precise military communication and analysis is concerned.
So a PANA report which I saw lately suggests that the AFISMA Field Commander, General Abdulkadir also visited Niger. Remember that we once suggested that we position airframes at Tillabery and Arlit in Niger, facing away from Gao and Kidal in Mali? Well, the PANA report states that we shall be using some airbase(s) in Niger.
XINHUA are this evening reporting that West African and Malian troops shall n the days ahead, mop up Gao which was subjected to blistering air attacks by French Rafale jets yesterday
PRE-UPGRADE(ECOMOG era) – 2 hardpoints per wing
POST-UPGRADE (3 hardpoints per wing)
NAF 465 – One of our upgraded Alpha Jet airframes
A story of ingenuity, resourcefulness and courage
Beeg, my skepticism lies in the fact that if eventually the alpha jets are deployed, how will they fare against the antiaircraft weapons the rebels have. Apparently,these jets would have to contend with sophisticated the sa-24 and sa-7 antiaircraft missiles supposedly looted from the Libyan armory. The suggestion is that france should be allowed to carry out air strikes since they have advanced jet fighters like the Rafale with the capability to engage in ECM roles while nigeria sticks to ground warfare….the blunt truth is that none of the aircraft in the naf inventory is capable of engaging in that role..even the French guys have lost a gazelle helo while in the current engagement
Oga beeg and my fellow generals,it could be that boko haram has been this quiet because they majority of their fighters have been called to fight along side the jihadists in mali,
@ Oga Beeg, I’m not a fan of Carl Gustavs, them get as them be, the RPG is all we need, RPG today tomorrow and yesterday, it can be used for Anti tank and anti personnel, the enemy uses it so you can use captured ammo, as the soldiers here will know you can do so tinkering and extend its range and use it in an indirect fire mode. I would suggest we tool up with them and go forth. We can take the Carl gustavs if we want to get rid of the ammo but I think RPG’s are the way. Each patrol base should have at least a 60mm mortar, company bases 81mm and dedicated fire bases with artillery pieces. As I said the main effort should be to block the narco and supply routes and force the enemy to commit to the fight so they can be destroyed by firepower. The armoured vehicles will not be decisive against a force with air superiority.
I would also disagree with mixing Nigerians, Guineans and Senegalese. There is a difference in language, doctrine, weapons, equipment and tactics that is drama. I have served with US, Jordanian, NZ, Italian and Aussie troops. I can assure you that you do not need that wahala. and all of the above were using NATO specs.
I would suggest the Malians garrison the population centres, ECOWAS troops have their own individual bases on the outskirts of the population centres dominating the routes in and out thus they can do the fighting on the outside and use heavy weapons judiciously, and the Malians can garrison the centre and with their local knowledge watch for infiltrators.
@ Oga Henry: you have hit the nail on the head. This one will not end in a few days, it will be a long, harsh war of attrition and to be brutally honest we do not have the combat power to sustain this, contain Boko Haram, secure the Delta and Jos.
Hence the relevance of a dedicated COIN police/ Army division comes to the for.
Within all the chest beating we need to remember this is the easy part and its not as straight forward asit can be. As I have said there will definitely be a counter strike in Nigeria for this, I’m less worried about France, na their own wahala but to win this war we need to destroy as much of the enemy as possible and fill the vacuum as quickly as possible and dominate the battlespace. As fascinating as this is I don’t think it will end well and I hope someone has thought this through.
@ Oga Jimmy: If they get as far south as Bamako, something has gone massively f**king wrong!. Mopti was the French and AFISMA staging post with an airport and major garrison, if it had been taken the French would have had to evacuate not just their citizens but their kit and join the Malians in their normal ‘advance to the rear’. I guess that was unacceptable so they went in early.
@ OGA Pecavvi
You definatley right about the language barrier , However this can easily be overcome due to a shared HISTORY RESPECT borne out respect during the Ecomog years. Nigeria Soldiers for Guinean and Senegalese that it will more than likely erase any cultural barriers or MISUNDERSTANDINGS that may arise if we recall when we were discussing ABOUT THIS INEVITABILITY OF going into Mali with great Misgivings most of us kept repeating the same MANTRA if Nigeria has to go in there must be one of two FRANCOPHONE countries that follow either Senegal or Guinea we got our wish.
Problems will occur but due to a mutual history i don’t expect anything Major NOW WITH THE MALIANS ARE THE Nigerians ALLOWED TO LINE THEM UP AGAINSTS THE WALL FOR cowardice……………. okay i am kidding o! i know this is not ww1.
*how would malian troops deal with the ensuing insurgency, must likely protracted, when foreign troops eventually leave mali?
*there has been an un provoked barrage of un friendly / bigoted media(west) reporting of africans in general, since the recent upturn of violence in mali. The lack of discipline shown by the malian army is fuelling this reportage. This is me just putting it nicely( OGA BEEG, stream lined). We cannot continue to depend on western media sources for news gotten from our own backyard. I feel deeply saddened.
OGA Ocelot2006, that would be impossible. The police lacks the requisite training, manpower and equipment to deal with all these problems. NAF(ground personnel) is already engaged in counter insurgency/ terrorism operations in the north of the country. The DSS/SSS already have specialised tactical units doing the job you are suggesting, ‘STING OPS’ members, are the equivalent of the navy sbs and army special OGA Ocelot2006, that would be impossible. The police lacks the requisite training, manpower and equipmeOGA Ocelot2006, that would be impossible. The police lacks the requisite training, manpower and equipment to deal with all these problems. NAF(ground personnel) is already engaged in counter insurgency/ terrorism operations in the north of the country. The DSS/SSS already have specialised tactical units doing the job you are suggesting, ‘STING OPS’ members, are the equivalent of the navy sbs and army special OGA Ocelot2006, that would be impossible. The police lacks the requisite training, manpower and equipment to
My Generals,
1)A lot of top Mali commanders are pro-rebels, hence this frequent ‘withdrawls/fleeing’ and leaving heavy equipment behind for the enemies. Naija commanders should be wary of them in joint ops. Commanders should be heavily vetted.
2)This war will be long and protracted.We should be prepared to go all the way.
3)Success will depend on Mali’s neighbours blocking the exit routes. Algeria is very key.
4)Coalition forces should expect spike in terror attacks in their various countries as soon as AQIM/MUJAO start experiencing one defeat after another. It will be the only way to hit back. Rebels will also need more weapons, hence we will witness more kidnapp for ransome (to buy the weapons)
5)After the initial ‘air bombardment’ by the French Rafael/Mirage, the air campaing will change to a Pakistani style ‘drone war’ taking out remote training bases, safe houses and weapon dumps. Mali is just too big.
Generals, your opinions pls.
Yeah, but in SLR we worked with Guinea who are Francophone and nextdoor neighbours to Sierra Leone with who they share many ethnic groups and understand each other well. So they understood the local languages while we spoke English like the Salone people.
By the same token, Senegal, Mali and Guinea are nextdoor Francophone neighbours who speak several African languages commonly – Mende/Mandingo, Fulani, Soninke etc and are overwhelmingly muslims while we are English speakers.
So I had that in mind, plus the battlefield chemistry with the Guineans.
You have said it all, Spirit. Opinion, ko? 🙂
We always believed that the French and Americans would not disappoint in their allotted roles, American drone attacks shall follow and will be sustained without dithering.
I do not see either France or the USA laying off drone and jet strikes until the terrorists are dislodged from all the towns that they currently occupy. Even this town which they seized from the Malian Army today shall yet be battered from the air.
I don’t know if they are using drones but the US SF has been active for months, I suspect they will be operating around the Algerian border. I’m waiting for reports of strikes against convoys. It will mi=ost likely be AC 130;s interdicting fuel and supply convoys from Algeria while the French shape the tactical battlefield.
Mixing Francophone and Anglophone will be a nightmare. Mixing Irish and Scottish units is a nightmare, I’ve trained with French and Spanish its a nightmare, its a nightmare, training or operating with Yanks,
When your under fire and your trying to tell some one to move up your left flank, mutual respect is not what you need. Now imagine trying to do that over an incompatible radio system, speaking English in a Nigerian accent to someone who understands French in a Senegalese accent. Your asking for headache.
If we must pair then it would be better with the Nigeriens, as Hausa is a common language
okay fair enough HAUSA it shall be, however do not forget quite a few of our OFFICERS SPEAK FRENCH
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/01/15/mali-rebels-idUKL6N0AK1QA20130115
I agree with Peccavi 100% on mixing troops given the disparaging differences in training, doctrine and weapons.
The last thing you need in a war is confusion among your troops in the theater. It can cost equipments and lives and in the long run give an ideology driven enemy the advantage. I hope the Nigerian authorities have learnt from previous “adventures” by providing our boys with all the requisite kit and communication equipment.
Beeg, are we deploying Tanks, IFVs, APCs to Mali?
Gentlemen, I think our DHQ actually bought into that idea which we first mooted about how IDEAL a 900-man contingent would be?
Well, up from previously mooted manpower projections of 600 troops and later, 450 troops, DHQ have actually settled for that same meaningful 900-man contingent.
ELSEWHERE,BEEGEAGLE WROTE
600-TROOP OPTION:
QUOTE
I dunno what NA are thinking. But if I were in their shoes, I would go in there with three heavily armed 300-man battle groups with eyes on the battles to retake GAO, KIDAL and TIMBUKTU.
With interoperability in mind, each of those 300-man battle groups would be equipped with
– two T55 tanks
– three Panhard AML 90 AFVs
– three 105mm artillery
– six truck-mounted 106mm RR
– six Panhard M3 APC
Given the fact that the Malian troops with their mastery of the terrain would provide the bulk of infantrymen, our own troops would be going in there with firepower with which to CLOBBER the enemy in any direct altercation and we shall also bring to the board, boatloads of experience in urban combat.
end of quote
450-TROOP OPTION:
QUOTE
excerpts
“I would have preferred 900 troops in three battle groups and that would still have been FIREPOWER-INTENSIVE but what we have to work with are 450-600 troops”
end of quote
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