Mali Confirms UN Mission’s Final Withdrawal By November 15

Mali’s ruling junta has announced that the complete withdrawal of the United Nations mission (MINUSMA) from the country will conclude by November 15, finalizing a mission that began in 2013 but faced rising tensions and a forced exit last year.

MINUSMA, originally deployed to stabilize Mali amid rising militant violence, maintained around 15,000 personnel, including soldiers and police, throughout the West African nation. The mission’s presence officially ended on December 31, 2023, after the military-led government ordered its departure. Since January, MINUSMA has been in a “liquidation phase,” wrapping up contracts and transferring equipment and facilities to Malian authorities.

“This final phase ends on November 15, 2024, with the transfer of the Bamako camp and the complete repatriation of all remaining personnel and equipment,” the council of ministers confirmed in a statement.

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Mali’s junta, which came to power in a 2020 coup, has criticized MINUSMA, accusing it of “fuelling community tensions.” The government has also severed ties with France, the former colonial power, which had been assisting in the fight against northern insurgents. Instead, Mali has sought political and military support from Russia.

The MINUSMA mission was one of the most dangerous UN deployments, with over 180 personnel killed, primarily in attacks attributed to armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Daesh.