Despite the presence of international forces and peacekeepers from the United Nations, Malian rebels, some of whom have links to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), have gained ground and momentum. According to the UN peacekeeping operation, two UN peacekeepers were killed and five others were seriously hurt when an improvised explosive device was used in the north of Mali.
Olivier Salgado, the spokesman for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), said in a tweet that the event happened on Tuesday between the towns of Tessalit and Gao.
Since armed groups established a foothold in the country’s arid north a decade ago, the level of insecurity in the West African nation has increased as a result of the escalation of attacks and the seizure of territory. The villages of Diallassagou, Diaweli, and Dessagou are located in the middle Mopti area of Mali. In the past month, 132 civilians have been slain there.
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Despite the presence of international soldiers and United Nations peacekeepers, the rebels, some of whom have links to the terrorist organizations al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), have gained ground. France had troops there for years, but security didn’t seem to improve much. Now, in the middle of a fight with Mali, which was once under its control, France has pulled its troops out.
The mission of the United Nations in charge of keeping the peace strongly condemned the attack, which may have broken some international law. Dujarric, who spoke for the mission, said, “The mission took note with concern of the frequent use of improvised explosive devices that were meant to disrupt the work of the UN mission and stop the return of peace and stability in Mali.”
The United Nations Security Council issued a statement condemning the attack “in the harshest terms” and urging Mali’s transitional administration to conduct an investigation into the incident as soon as possible and bring those responsible to justice. The members of the organization said that they were worried about the security situation in Mali and the fact that the terrorist threat in the Sahel region was international.
The battle has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the displacement of millions more across the Sahel region, which is located south of the Sahara. About 12,200 military personnel are now serving with MINUSMA, which stands for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. This mission is currently active in Mali. According to MINUSMA, since August 2013, at least 174 peacekeepers have been killed and more than 420 have been injured as a result of hostile activities.
