BERLIN, 18 August 2022, (TON): German government said “German soldiers in Mali spotted several dozen suspected Russian security forces in the city of Gao just as the last French soldiers left the country.”

A foreign ministry spokesman said “the German ambassador in Bamako has contacted Mali’s foreign minister about “the suspected presence of Russian uniformed forces in Gao.”

Gao is home to a contingent of German soldiers, not far from the former base occupied by the French.

The spokesman said “a Russian presence in the city would be a development that changes the mission environment.”

He added that the government was also discussing the matter with the United Nations.