Germany to wind down Mali military mission by mid-2024

BERLIN (AP) — The German government says it plans to wind down the country’s participation in a U.N. military mission in Mali by the middle of 2024. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman said Tuesday that the government will propose to parliament granting a final one-year extension to the mission in Mali in May. He said the idea is to take account of elections in Mali that are expected in February 2024. German military missions overseas require a mandate from parliament, which is typically granted on an annual basis. The German decision follows repeated tensions between Mali’s leadership and the international community. Britain said last week that it would withdraw its troops, but didn’t give a timeline.