Qatar sends 24 armoured vehicles to Mali to fight Jihadists

Qatar has airlifted 24 armoured vehicles to Mali, in a move it said would help the countries of the African Sahel region combat Jihadist terrorism.

Qatar has increased efforts to show it is a force for good in international security since its Gulf Arab neighbours imposed a diplomatic and economic boycott on it in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

Qatari military planes delivered the vehicles, its foreign ministry said, adding the shipment would help “combat terrorism and establish security not only in the Republic of Mali but also in the African Sahel countries known as the G5.”

The G5 of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania last year created a military task force to root out jihadist violence.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have agreed to provide about $150 million to the G5 Sahel force.