RTÉ Brainstorm – What are Ireland’s Army Ranger Wing doing in Mali?
Whitaker member Prof Ray Murphy, of the Conflict, Humanitarianism and Security cluster, has a new piece on RTÉ Brainstorm. The article looks at the Irish government’s decision to send soldiers from the special forces unit to participate in the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali.
What are Ireland’s Army Ranger Wing doing in Mali?
Analysis: while members of the Irish special forces are more than able for any role they may be assigned, the conflict in Mali is volatile and unstable.
The Government has approved sending around 14 soldiers primarily from the special forces unit, the Army Ranger Wing (ARW), to participate in the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA. While the Defence Forces already contribute to an EU training mission there, this is not a combat role. In Mali, a protracted conflict remains ongoing, aggravated by the intervention of various armed groups and a power vacuum in the north and the centre of the country. With over 200 fatalities to date, this is considered one of the UN’s most dangerous missions. Continue reading…