Rosalind Evans
Amidst escalating violence in Mali and an uptick in attacks by Islamic extremists, the United Nations peacekeepers initiated their departure from two bases in the nation’s northern region on Monday. This decision comes as a result of heightened insecurity and the nation’s ongoing struggles to contain an Islamic extremist insurgency that has been active since 2012.
The two bases in question are in the Kidal region, namely Tessalit and Aguelhok. Disturbingly, the attacks in this northern region have shown a significant increase, doubling, since the peacekeepers commenced the first phase of their withdrawal in August. As per a UN statement, “Given the rapidly deteriorating security conditions for the lives of hundreds of peacekeepers … the mission is doing its utmost to complete this process as soon as possible, including, if necessary, accelerating its withdrawal from the Kidal camp, originally scheduled for mid-November.”
Earlier in 2022, the military junta of Mali demanded that the U.N. mission evacuate the country. The nation has been embroiled in a battle against Islamic extremist insurgency since 2012, making the mission in Mali one of the globe’s most dangerous, having witnessed the loss of over 150 peacekeepers since it commenced in 2013.
Another significant concern is the escalating violence between ethnic Tuareg rebels, identified as the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), and Mali’s armed forces. Analysts are indicating that this increase in hostilities marks the breakdown of a peace agreement signed in 2015 between the Malian government and the rebels. Notably, these rebels once evicted security forces from northern Mali in their pursuit to establish the state of Azawad. This month’s recent update disclosed that the rebels claimed to have taken control of another military base in the north.
Adding to the situation’s complexity, Mali’s military announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that while approaching Tessalit’s airport, its aircraft encountered significant enemy fire. However, they successfully neutralized the threat, and the aircraft landed and subsequently took off without any complications.
To further complicate the already precarious situation, Islamic extremists associated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have escalated their attacks, a menace that has plagued Mali for a decade, leading to two coups. These extremist rebels were once overthrown from power in Mali’s northern cities in 2013, thanks to a French-led military intervention. But they soon regrouped in the desert and initiated attacks against the Malian military and its allies. This dire situation prompted the intervention of the U.N. peacekeepers a few months later, marking the beginning of what would become one of the deadliest U.N. missions globally.
Mali’s current situation is an intricate web of political unrest, extremist insurgencies, and international interventions. The rapid departure of U.N. peacekeepers from northern Mali signifies the gravity of the situation. The international community will watch the developments keenly, hoping for a resolution to bring peace to the beleaguered West African nation.
