Camp Castor is an international peacekeeping forward operating base in the town of Gao, Mali, supporting activities of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) since 2014.

Camp Castor
Kamp Castor
Gao International Airport
Near Gao in Mali
Camp Castor is located in Mali
Camp Castor
Camp Castor
Location within Mali
Coordinates16°14′50″N 0°01′10″W / 16.247222°N 0.019444°W / 16.247222; -0.019444
Typeforward operating base
Site information
OperatorBundeswehr
Site history
Built2014

History

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After the Netherlands contributed 380 troops to MINUSMA in April 2014, these forces began building Camp Castor to accommodate special forces and helicopters among other assets. German aircraft replaced the seven departing Dutch helicopters in early 2017, as overall command of the base also transitioned to the Bundeswehr.[1] Special forces from Denmark and the Czech Republic were also stationed at Castor.

Location

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Camp Castor is in between the joint civilian-military MINUSMA camp Supercamp and the southeastern edge of the Gao International Airport. The French army operates a nearby base serving Operation Barkhane. At the northeast end of the airfield is Camp Firhoun Ag Alinsar, a Malian army base. Adjoined to Castor is the UK element of MINUSMA; Camp Bagnold, housing LRRG(M) with supporting elements from the Army and RAF.

Incidents

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An Apache helicopter of the Dutch Army crashed in March 2015 after an attempted emergency landing near Gao.[2]

In July 2017 a Camp Castor-based, German Eurocopter Tiger crashed at Tabankort in Bourem Cercle, killing both crewmembers.[3]

Media Coverage

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The German Ministry of Defence published a 40-episode video series documenting the everyday lives of peacekeeping troops in Camp Castor.

References

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  1. ^ Dewitz, Christian (7 July 2016). "Mali – Friedensmission inmitten von Terror und Kriminalität". Budeswehr Journal. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017.
  2. ^ "UN pilots killed in Apache helicopter crash in Mali". Al Jazeera. 18 Mar 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ "German military helicopter crashes in Mali, two peacekeepers killed". Reuters. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2022.