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According to MINUSMA, the United Nations peacekeeping mission, an attack in northern Mali resulted in one peacekeeper’s death and four others severely injured on Friday. The incident occurred near Ber in the Timbouctou region, which has experienced significant violence in the past decade. MINUSMA described the attack as “complex,” stating that the patrol encountered an improvised explosive device before being targeted with direct fire. Although the perpetrators were not identified, armed groups associated with al-Qaeda and ISIS have conflicted northern Mali since suppressing a Tuareg rebellion in 2012.
Despite international military interventions to support local troops, the violence has spread throughout the Sahel region and beyond. The UN estimates thousands of people have been killed, and over six million have been displaced due to the fighting. With approximately 12,000 military personnel deployed in Mali, MINUSMA has experienced significant casualties, with over 300 peacekeepers killed since its inception in 2013, making it the deadliest UN peacekeeping mission worldwide.
Initially welcomed by Malians, the UN peacekeeping force is now seen by some as part of the problem rather than the solution. The population has criticized the force for failing to protect civilians and intervene during massacres near UN compounds. Millions of Malians still rely on the UN mission for security outside the capital, where government presence is limited.
However, tensions have arisen between the Malian military government and the UN mission in recent months. This is partly due to the Malian military seeking assistance from the Wagner Group, a private Russian mercenary firm linked to the Kremlin.
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Source: Omanghana.com
