Mali Lawmakers Sign Petition to Deploy Russian Troops to Fight Terrorism

The security situation in Mali is very unstable, which promted several lawmakers in the parliament to sign a petition calling for Russian military to aid in the fight against terrorism.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Several lawmakers in the Malian parliament have signed a petition asking Russia for military help in fighting al-Qaeda-linked militants in northern Mali, a spokesman for the party behind the motion told Sputnik on Thursday.

"Several deputies of the Malian parliament have signed the petition in what is a proof of strong ties between Moscow and Bamako," the spokesman for the Groupe des Patriotes du Mali (GPM) said.

The UN peacekeeping force, MINUSMA, has been stationed in the West African country together with French troops since 2013 to counter Islamist militants. Insurgents grabbed large parts of northern Mali in 2012 before they were driven back.

But the security situation in the country remains very unstable despite international military presence, the GPM spokesman told Sputnik.

"The number of signatures under the petition grows with each passing day, especially considering lack of progress in the situation in the country. We expect more than 600,000 people to sign it by the beginning of next week," he said.

Islamists have been targeting international forces and hotels popular with foreign officials. Most recently, an Islamist attack on MINUSMA forces in Kidal in February killed six peacekeepers and injured some 30, according to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.