MADRID, 30 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The director of the GAR-SI Sahel project, Major General Francisco Espadas Santana, has warned that if the advance of jihadist terrorist groups in these African countries is not stopped “in a short time” they will hit Europe. “If we allow them to roam freely there, they will multiply their strength and, without a doubt, in a short time they will act on our continent”, he pointed out.
In an interview in the magazine of the Victims of Terrorism Foundation, collected by Europa Press, the general of the Civil Guard takes stock of the “excellent performance” of the European project led by Spain to train gendarmes from African countries. Within the threats, he warns of the presence of Russian mercenaries in countries like Mali.
“The presence of Russian mercenaries in Mali is proven,” says Espadas Santana, who points out that it was this, added to the second coup in this African country, that caused the suspension of the GAR-SI and many other collaboration projects by of the European Union.
“We hope that the situation changes and support can be reestablished, since Mali occupies a strategic position in the heart of the Sahel, with borders with seven countries; Europe cannot and should not abandon its collaboration with this country,” said this general at the head of the GAR-SI since February of last year.
Similar to the GAR (Rapid Action Groups) and their role in the fight against ETA, the Civil Guard and the gendarmerie of France, Italy and Portugal have trained 1,735 gendarmes from Mali and five other European countries: Senegal, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. So far, 46 of these policemen have lost their lives since the first deployment in 2019, most of them in armed clashes against terrorist groups.
The general highlights the presence of terrorist groups in conflict with each other: in the area of ??the three borders (Mali, Burkina and Niger) the Front for the Liberation of Macina (FLM), belonging to the Al Qaeda affiliate in the Sahel, is active, and the Islamic State, and in the Lake Chad region, the main organization is Boko Haram, known for kidnapping children.
Despite the instability in the area, growing towards the Gulf of Guinea, the deployment of these units has allowed a school to reopen in Mangodara (Burkina Faso), facilitating the return to classes of 900 children or that the weekly markets can be supplied .
The objective, according to the general, is that in the vast area of ??the Sahel the terrorist organizations do not replace the State. “We have time to help these countries and neutralize this threat, Europe must be aware of this and the GAR-SI units would be a good tool to stabilize and consolidate peace”, he concluded.
