Burkinabè units in MINUSMA explained

Soldiers of the Burkina Faso Armed Forces were deployed in United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) between 2013 and 2023. During the mission, Burkinabe forces were the largest contributor to the mission, and often belonged to the best elements of the Burkinabe army.[1] [2]

Badenya Battalion

The Badenya Battalion, meaning brotherhood in Bambara, was deployed in Timbuktu and Ber, and is sometimes called BFA BAT 1.[3] The Badenya Battalion was first deployed in Diabaly as part of African-led International Support Mission to Mali (MISMA), the predecessor to MINUSMA, but then deployed to Gao and Timbuktu following MINUSMA's creation.[4] Until 2017, the protection of the Timbuktu Airport was the battalion's main priority. They were replaced in 2017 by an Ivorian infantry company, although Burkinabe units defended the entrance to the nearby MINUSMA super camp.[5] In 2018, the Badenya Battalion defended the camp and airport from jihadists during the 2018 Timbuktu attack at the camp.[6]

The Badenya battalion was also responsible for securing and defending a large number of MINUSMA supply convoys across Mali, and defended the MINUSMA base in Ber in 2018.[7] In 2015, during a supply mission, the battalion was the target of jihadists in an ambush near Takoumbaout.[8] [9]

!Battalion Name!Dates Active!Corps commander!Size!Number of killed soldiers
Badenya 1January 2013 - February 2014Jules Bationo8502
Badenya 2January 2014 - February 2015Yves Patrick Ouedraogo8505
Badenya 3January 2015[10] - February 2016[11] Giles Bationo[12] 8506
Badenya 4January 2016 - January 2017[13] Cheick Alain Kabore850None
Badenya 5January 2017 - January 20186[14] [15]
Badenya 6January 2018 - January 2019Elie Tarpaga, Cyprien Kabore[16] [17] 8503
Badenya 7January 2019
The Badenya Battalion's mandate was not renewed in January 2019, and the soldiers and their equipment were transferred to the Gondaal Battalion. Many Badenya soldiers were transferred back home to fight the growing jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso.[18]

Gondaal Battalion

The Gondaal Battalion, meaning "good understanding" in Fulfulde, was deployed in Diabaly from 2015 to 2023, with detachments in Léré and Goundam.[19] It is sometimes referred to as BFA BAT 2. In September 2017, the Lere camp was transferred to the control of Malian forces from G5 Sahel.[20] The Gondaal Battalion had 850 soldiers from 2015 to 2018.[21]

Other units and equipment

In June 2016, 140 gendarmes were transferred to Gao under the command of Kanou Coulibaly within the 31st Peacekeeping Squadron, and were replaced by 140 new gendarmes in June 2017.[22] [23] A Burkinabe officer within MINUSMA committed suicide at his office in Gao on March 3, 2017.[24]

The Badenya's platoons are equipped with Serbian Zastava M70 assault rifles and Zastava M84 machine guns as well as RPG-7 rocket launchers. They are also equipped with DShK and ZPU-2 heavy machine guns and 81mm and 120mm mortars. The company is motorized on Toyota Land Cruiser pick-ups, Ural-4320 trucks, and 30 ACMAT Bastion personnel carriers. Due to constant movement, the equipment wears out quickly.

Notes and References

  1. News: 2016-05-13 . Le Burkina Faso veut retirer ses casques bleus du Darfour . 2024-04-16 . Le Monde.fr . fr.
  2. Web site: Koueta . Oui . 2018-12-20 . Le bataillon Badenya 7 répond à l'appel . 2024-04-16 . Burkina24.com - Actualité du Burkina Faso 24h/24 . fr-FR.
  3. Web site: August 4, 2015 . La MINUSMA déploie un nouveau bataillon à Diabaly . April 16, 2024 . MINUSMA Hebdo.
  4. Web site: Crise au Mali : Le bataillon Badenya 1 est de retour - leFaso.net . 2024-04-16 . lefaso.net . fr.
  5. Web site: Defensa.com . 2019-11-28 . El batallón de infantería "Badenya" de Burkina Faso en Mali - Noticias Defensa En abierto . 2024-04-16 . Defensa.com . es.
  6. Web site: bulletin hebdomadaire d information de la MINUSMA numéro 112 mai PDF Free Download . 2024-04-16 . docplayer.fr.
  7. Web site: 2018-11-03 . Tombouctou : Cérémonie d'hommage aux deux Casques bleus Burkinabé tombés à Ber . 2024-04-16 . kibaru.ml . fr.
  8. Web site: July 2, 2015 . Mali: 6 Casques bleus burkinabè tués dans une nouvelle attaque dans le nord . April 16, 2024 . Maliactu.
  9. Web site: Drabo . Colette . February 12, 2015 . La nation reconnaisante envers 850 soldats . April 16, 2024 . Le Pays . 5.
  10. Web site: Paix au Mali: le déploiement du bataillon Badenya 3 a commencé . 2024-04-16 . aOuaga.com.
  11. Web site: Maintien de la paix : le bataillon Badenya 4 prêt pour le Mali . 2024-04-16 . aOuaga.com.
  12. Web site: 2019-02-09 . Au Burkina Faso, vague de nomination à la tête des forces armées . 2024-04-16 . RFI . fr.
  13. Web site: Mission onusienne de stabilisation au Mali : Le Bataillon Badénya 4 de retour . 2024-04-16 . abamako.com.
  14. Web site: B24 . Rédaction . 2017-10-11 . Burkina : Le bataillon Badenya 5 perd un de ses soldats . 2024-04-16 . Burkina24.com - Actualité du Burkina Faso 24h/24 . fr-FR.
  15. Web site: B24 . Rédaction . 2017-05-15 . Mali : Un soldat burkinabè blessé à Tombouctou . 2024-04-16 . Burkina24.com - Actualité du Burkina Faso 24h/24 . fr-FR.
  16. Web site: Faso . Aujourd'hui au . 2017-11-26 . Forces armées nationales: Badenya 6, prêt à être déployé . 2024-04-16 . Aujourd'hui au Faso . fr-FR.
  17. Web site: Attaque de la MINUSMA : Le repos éternel du Combattant Caporal Ibrahim Yaméogo - leFaso.net . 2024-04-16 . lefaso.net . fr.
  18. Web site: 2019-01-28 . Tackling Burkina Faso's Insurgencies and Unrest Crisis Group . 2024-04-16 . www.crisisgroup.org . en.
  19. Web site: 850 soldats burkinabè bientôt au front au Mali . 2024-04-16 . aOuaga.com.
  20. Web site: September 8, 2017 . Mali: les forces maliennes se réimplantent dans la zone de Léré . April 16, 2024 . RFI.
  21. Web site: NABOLE . Ignace Ismaël . 2016-07-01 . Gondaal II : 850 " ambassadeurs " burkinabè pour le maintien de la paix au Mali . 2024-04-16 . Burkina24.com - Actualité du Burkina Faso 24h/24 . fr-FR.
  22. Web site: Maintien de la paix: 140 gendarmes burkinabè attendus les 20, 22 et 23 juin au nord du Mali . 2024-04-16 . aOuaga.com.
  23. Web site: KOACI . KOACI . 2024-04-16 . KOACI . FR.
  24. Web site: 2017-03-04 . Mali/Gao: un casque bleu retrouvé mort dans son bureau . 2024-04-16 . sahelien.com . fr-FR.

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