Germany said a request by the Malian government for the United Nations peacekeeping force to leave the country without delay is politically motivated.

In a statement on Sunday, Berlin informed that it still aims for an orderly withdrawal of its troops by May 2024.

Recall Bamako at the UN Security Council last Friday citing a crisis of confidence with the decade-long U.N. mission MINUSMA, requested that the latter immediately withdraw its troops.

A spokeswoman for the German defence ministry reiterated that her government’s interest remains a structured exit and continues to support the UN negotiations.

Germany has deployed some 1,000 troops to Mali, most near the northern town of Gao where their main task is to gather reconnaissance for the 13,000 UN peacekeeping operation.