UN peacekeepers speed up northern Mali withdrawal as separatists accuse army of attack

BAMAKO (Reuters) – The United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in Mali on Sunday said it had expedited its planned withdrawal from the town of Ber in northern Mali due to worsening security. The move comes as fighting in the area raises concerns of a possible resurgence of a separatist uprising.

Recently, the Tuareg-led northern rebel alliance, known as the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), accused the Malian forces and Russian Wagner troops of violating a ceasefire by attacking its stationed forces near Ber.

While the Malian army has not yet responded to these allegations, it did confirm on Saturday that six of its soldiers stationed in Ber were killed while repelling a reported incursion by unidentified “armed terrorist groups.”

The UN peacekeeping mission, referred to as MINUSMA, stated in a release that it had “expedited its withdrawal from Ber due to the deteriorating security situation.” The mission also called on all involved parties to refrain from actions that could further complicate the operation, without explicitly naming those involved.

The ongoing clashes between CMA forces and Malian troops around Ber were confirmed by CMA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, who spoke with Reuters over the phone.

The presence of MINUSMA peacekeepers had previously helped pacify the Tuareg-led rebels, who temporarily suspended their separatist uprising with the signing of the Algiers Accord in 2015.

Unrest first began in Mali in 2012 when Islamists took advantage of the Tuareg’s uprising. Since then, the Islamist insurgency has spread into neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions, creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

The violence has also contributed to political instability, leading to the Malian junta seizing power through coups in 2020 and 2021. It has since collaborated with Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which reportedly has around 1,000 fighters deployed in Mali.

In a recent report seen by Reuters, UN sanctions monitors stated that during joint operations, Malian troops and their foreign security partners, believed to be Wagner mercenaries, have committed “grave human rights abuses,” including violence against women, as a means to sow fear.

(Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Ros Russell)