Giant Antonov aircraft flies German vehicles home from Mali as dangerous UN op draws down

One of the world’s largest cargo aircraft has ferried vehicles and equipment back to Germany as the United Nations' peacekeeping mission in Mali – known as the most dangerous UN operation on the planet – draws to a close.

In a social media post, German forces Bundeswehr im Einsatz said the Antonov An-124 aircraft transported Dingo and Fuchs armoured vehicles back from the troubled West African country.

The An-124 is a giant that draws comparisons with the bigger An-225 Mriya - formerly the world's largest cargo plane - which was destroyed in strikes on a Ukrainian air base during the country's war with Russia.

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MINUSMA (Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali) will withdraw from the country by 31 December in line with UN security resolutions after a decade of operations.

British forces were deployed in a Long Range Reconnaissance Group as part of MINUSMA from 2020, but in November 2022 the UK government announced it would withdraw its peacekeeping troops, citing concerns over the Malian government's links to Russian mercenary organisation the Wagner Group.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said the 300-strong UK contingent would end its three-year deployment early.

The military government in Mali has looked to the Wagner Group to bring order to the country, but the mercenaries' involvement has been marked by allegations of atrocities.