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Tag: Mali

  • What lies ahead for Mali after withdrawal of MINUSMA?

    What lies ahead for Mali after withdrawal of MINUSMA?

    On Friday June 30, the UN Security Council unanimously approved the request from Bamako to withdraw its peacekeeping mission, MINUSMA, from Mali.

    The mission was established by the Security Council in 2013 with the aim of promoting peace and stability in the country. Mali expressed its satisfaction with the decision and welcomed the adoption of the resolution, which was drafted by France.

    “MINUSMA has certainly not achieved its fundamental goal of supporting the efforts of the government in securing the country,” Issa Konfourou, Mali’s ambassador to UN, said following the vote

    “Nevertheless the people and the government of Mali will like to applaud its contribution in other areas in particular in the area of humanitarian and social assistance,” Konfourou said.

    The mission, consisting of 17,430 personnel, was established in 2012 in response to the political instability and armed conflict that engulfed Mali. During that period, rebels and fighters associated with al-Qaeda seized significant portions of northern Mali.

    On June 16, Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, expressed the country’s desire for the Blue Helmets (UN peacekeeping forces) to leave the country once their mandate expires on June 30th.

    “The government of Mali calls for the withdrawal without delay of MINUSMA,” Diop said, adding that Bamako “is willing to cooperate with the United Nations on this issue.”

    What is in the draft?

    The resolution effectively ends the mandate of the peacekeeping mission on June 30th and instructs the mission to begin withdrawing its personnel starting from July 1st.

    According to the resolution, the withdrawal process is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.

    Mali has made it clear that there will be no extension to the specified timeframe.

    “The government of Mali will be vigilant in ensuring compliance with this engagement,” Konfourou said.

    “As a responsible government, the Malian authorities are committed to closely cooperating with the Secretariat of the United Nations and MINUSMA in the framework of the prompt implementation of this resolution within the established time frame,” he added.

    Where possible and with the permission of Mali, the resolution allows MINUSMA to respond to “imminent threat of violence to civilians.”

    According to the resolution, MINUSMA is also authorised to assist in the safe civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance in its immediate vicinity.

    Why Mali wants troops out

    In recent times, there has been a rise in tensions between Mali and the United Nations. Bamako has leveled accusations against the long-standing mission, claiming that it has worsened the situation in the country, which is home to a population of over 20 million.

    “MINUSMA seems to have become part of the problem by fuelling community tensions exacerbated by extremely serious allegations which are highly detrimental to peace, reconciliation and national cohesion in Mali,” Diop said.

    “This situation generates a feeling of distrust among the populations with regard to MINUSMA,” he added.

    Meanwhile, MINUSMA has repeatedly complained about restrictions on troop and aircraft movements.

    The mission claims that these restrictions have prevented it from fulfilling its mandate, including investigating alleged human rights abuses by the mercenary group Wagner and Mali’s army.

    Both Bamako and Wagner deny these allegations.

    Analyst say the withdrawal of the peacekeepers could have a profound impact on the stability of the country.

    “The withdrawal of the UN peacekeepers will undermine prospects for keeping alive the 2015 peace agreement between the government and the Tuareg separatists who had rebelled in the North but then settled for decentralisation within a united Mali,” Paul Melly, a researcher at Chatham House, a London-based think tank told Al Jazeera.

    “It will leave many communities across the North of the country with reduced protection from the risk of jihadist attacks and it will underline the basic public administration and welfare and humanitarian programmes that the UN has been supporting,” Melly said.

    Deadly, expensive mission

    MINUSMA has suffered more than 300 fatalities, making it the deadliest UN peacekeeping operation. With a budget of $1.2bn, MINUSMA is also the most expensive mission of the organisation.

    Following the passage of the resolution, UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed his “profound respect to the memory of the 309 MINUSMA personnel who lost their lives in the service of peace during 10 years the mission was deployed in Mali,” Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the Secretary-General said in a statement.

    What’s the government’s plan?

    Without elaborating, Bamako stated that it is able to guarantee the safety of all its citizens, wherever they may be in the vast landlocked country.

    “I would like to reassure you of the full engagement of the government of Mali to continue working tirelessly to fulfil its primary mission of protecting the civilian population and their property over all our national territory,” Konfourou said.

    In 2021, Mali’s military rulers signed a deal with the Russian mercenary group Wagner to assist in its fight against armed groups.

    This move drew strong condemnation from Western countries, who argued that the presence of the mercenary group threatens the stability of Mali.

    Moscow and Bamako have stated that the Russian fighters in Mali are not mercenaries but trainers who are aiding local troops in combating rebel groups.

    Wagner fighters have been accused of involvement in an incident last year in Moura, central Mali – where local troops and suspected Russian fighters allegedly killed hundreds of civilians.

    “Wagner does not have the military resources of the UN, nor the same commitment to community mediation, human rights and ‘hearts and minds’ initiatives,” Melly said.

    On Friday, Washington accused Wagner of destabilising Mali, further stating that the group collaborated with Bamako to facilitate the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers from the country.

    “We know that senior Malian officials worked directly with Yevgeny Prighozin employees to inform the UN secretary-general that Mali had revoked consent for the MINUSMA mission,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

    Dire humanitarian situation

    According to the UN, at least 7.5 million Malians are in need of humanitarian assistance. The UN also reports that one in four Malians is food insecure due to insecurity and the impacts of climate change.

    Analysts warn that with UN troops fully withdrawing by the end of December, the humanitarian situation in the country could worsen.

    “The humanitarian situation will probably get worse. We may see more displaced populations and greater problems in ensuring the safe and reliable delivery of aid to vulnerable people,” Melly said.

    As MINUSMA’s time in Mali comes to an end, analysts say that the mission has had a tangible effect on the country.

    “MINUSMA has played a valuable role in providing some stability and security protection for communities across the north of Mali,” he added.

    “It has also underpinned the provision of public basic services and administration in some areas where government officials or humanitarian agencies would have found it difficult to operate without some underpinning security backup.”

  • Mali and the UN: Reasons for telling peacekeepers to leave

    Mali and the UN: Reasons for telling peacekeepers to leave

    Mali has informed the UN that its 12,000 peacekeepers must depart after ten years of battling Islamist extremists there.

    The military took over Mali last year and brought in mercenaries from the Wagner group from Russia, forcing France to withdraw its troops.

    How come the UN dispatched a peacekeeping mission to Mali?

    After Islamist fighters and rebels from the south of Mali united and took control of the region in 2013, the UN sent a mission there. A distinct state was what they aimed to establish.

    The UN peacekeepers arrived after 5,000 French troops, who were sent to try and put down the uprising.

    The threat from Islamist militants, who have killed several thousand people and forced tens of thousands from their homes, has continued over the years.

    While the UN force in Mali has a wider brief to protect civilians and contain the jihadist threat, it is not intended to go on the offensive against militants.

    In Mali and across the wider region attacks have been carried out by Islamic State in the Greater Sahara and an al-Qaeda affiliate called Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin.

    Another jihadist group, Ansaroul Islam, is active in Burkina Faso, and Boko Haram is active in countries around Lake Chad.

    Has the UN mission been successful?

    Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers and French troops, who led counter-terror operations, the number of terror attacks in Mali steadily increased, as did the number of Malians joining insurgent groups.

    Bar graph of fatlaities in Mali

    Over the past decade, more than 300 UN peacekeepers have been killed. It has been described as the deadliest peacekeeping mission in the world.

    Russia and China has criticised the mission at the UN, and countries such as the UK and Sweden have refused to provide troops.

    Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would withdraw French forces.

    He was angry that military leaders – who seized power in 2021 – delayed plans to hold democratic elections. They also invited the Russian mercenary group Wagner to provide an estimated 1,000 fighters to provide security.

    At the moment it is unclear whether the recent mutiny by Wagner fighters in Russia will have a bearing on its operations in Mali.

    Why does Mali want the UN peacekeepers to leave?

    The UN’s mandate in Mali is due to expire on 30 June.

    The UN’s Secretary General, António Guterres, had recommended extending their stay in Mali for another year.

    However, Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, rejected this, saying the UN force had failed to respond effectively to security challenges.

    UN commanders have complained that the Malian government has often interfered with their operations.

    Mr Diop also accused the UN mission of “making serious allegations which are detrimental to peace, reconciliation and natural cohesion in Mali”.

    In May, the UN released a report alleging that during an anti-jihadist operation in central Mali in March 2022, Malian army troops and foreign mercenaries killed 500 civilians.

    On Friday, the United Nations Security Council voted to withdraw the peacekeepers over the next six months.

    More updates this story

  • Mali: 13 individuals killed by Islamists during Eid celebrations

    Mali: 13 individuals killed by Islamists during Eid celebrations

    Jihadists have claimed the lives of a minimum of 13 innocent civilians in southeastern Mali.

    The attack occurred in Gao province during the Eid celebrations, and while it remains uncertain if the timing was intentional, several individuals were also wounded in the incident.

    This assault took place on Wednesday, shortly before a vote scheduled for Friday at the UN Security Council, where Mali’s request for the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers from the country is anticipated to be approved.

    A draft resolution drawn up by France suggests that all personnel are withdrawn within six months.

    The withdrawal of the mission, known as Minusma, would come after years of tensions between the UN and Mali’s military junta.

    Analysts fear that the security situation could deteriorate, leaving the Russian mercenary group Wagner to combat Islamist militants who control large parts of the country.

    Yet journalist Mohamed Golfa in the capital, Bamako, tells the BBC that many in Mali agree with the transitional government that the UN peacekeepers aren’t doing a good enough job.

  • Wagner revolt in Russia dims outlook for its operations in Africa

    Wagner revolt in Russia dims outlook for its operations in Africa

    The uprising within the Wagner force in Russia presents a diplomatic dilemma for Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR). These countries have been confronted with a complex situation as the forces of the mercenary group have become increasingly influential in their protracted internal conflicts.

    As the Wagner fighters barrelled towards Moscow on Saturday after seizing a southern city overnight, spokespeople for the governments of Mali and CAR declined to comment on the turmoil and how it might affect their security strategies against armed groups.

    Both countries have sought closer ties with Russia and military support to battle the armed fighters, saying in the past that their military cooperation agreements are with Russia rather than with Wagner.

    “[Wagner’s] presence in Mali is sponsored by the Kremlin and if Wagner is at odds with the Kremlin … naturally Mali will suffer the consequences on the security front,” said Malian political analyst Bassirou Doumbia.

    Mali, where military authorities seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, is battling a years-long operation against armed groups affiliated with ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda. It has said Russian forces there are not Wagner mercenaries but trainers helping local troops with equipment bought from Russia.

    But the alliance has soured relations with the United Nations and alienated Western powers, who have said the fighters are Wagner forces and have alleged that they have committed possible war crimes alongside Malian soldiers.

    The governments in Mali and Russia have denied the allegations.

    Wagner’s continued presence in Mali amid the continuing insurrection in Russia could prove problematic for Bamako’s relations with Moscow, which last year committed to send Mali shipments of fuel, fertiliser and food worth about $100m.

    “[The] exact consequences for Mali really depend on factors largely unknown such as the organisational autonomy of Wagner and their chain of command, and, of course, whether things escalate or not between [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Wagner,” said Yvan Guichaoua, senior lecturer at the Brussels School of International Studies.

    He said there were no reports of unexpected troop movements in Mali as of Saturday morning.

    Rebel insurgencies

    The power struggle in Russia could also have significant ramifications for CAR, where hundreds of Russian operatives, including many from Wagner, have been helping the government fight several rebel insurgencies since 2018.

    Both CAR and Mali have been drawn increasingly into Russia’s orbit in recent years as the Kremlin sought greater influence in Francophone Africa to the dismay of former colonial power France, which has faced anti-French protests in the region and worsening relations with several West African governments.

    In February, French President Emmanuel Macron described the deployment of Wagner troops in Africa as the “life insurance of failing regimes in Africa” that will only sow misery.

    A suspension of Wagner operations in Africa could impact the group’s finances. The United States last October accused the mercenaries of exploiting natural resources in CAR, Mali and elsewhere to fund fighting in Ukraine – a charge Russia rejected at the time.

    Wagner began operating in Africa and the Middle East when it was founded in 2014 and was thought to have about 5,000 fighters, but has grown significantly since then.

    The paramilitary group made a name for itself internationally through its involvement in Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, a move widely viewed as illegal by the international community.

    The group has also been involved in the continuing Russia-Ukraine war that began in February 2022 after Wagner forces were deployed in Ukraine on March 28, 2022. The group has 50,000 active fighters in Ukraine, according to British intelligence.

    According to the US National Security Council, while about 80 percent of its troops in Ukraine were withdrawn from prisons, it was stated that Wagner was effective in Russia’s alleged capture of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

    Wagner has also sent fighters outside Ukraine to various conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, including the war in Syria. The group has cemented strong ties with several African governments over the past decade with operations in at least eight African nations, according to leaked US documents.

  • Mali: Results of referendum vote yet to be declared

    Mali: Results of referendum vote yet to be declared

    Vote counting is underway in Mali after a referendum was held to determine the adoption of a new constitution that outlines the path towards restoring democratic civilian governance in the country.

    In 2021, military leaders had taken control but pledged to transfer power to an elected government in the coming year.

    The revised constitution introduces a second parliamentary chamber aimed at enhancing representation throughout Mali.

    However, detractors argue that it grants excessive authority to the president and object to military involvement in the constitution’s redrafting process.

    Provisional results are expected to be released on Tuesday, shedding light on the outcome of the referendum and the potential implications for Mali’s future political landscape.

  • Mali calls for immediate redrawal of UN peacekeeping mission

    Mali calls for immediate redrawal of UN peacekeeping mission

    Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, has urgently requested the United Nations to withdraw its peacekeeping force, Minusma, from the country.

    Diop criticized Minusma, stating that it has contributed to escalating intercommunal tensions and exacerbating the existing problems.

    His concerns were expressed during his address to the UN Security Council.

    Minusma, which comprises over 13,000 troops, has been deployed for a decade but has been unsuccessful in curbing the proliferation of jihadist violence in Mali.

    Currently, the military rulers in Mali are receiving support from Russian Wagner mercenaries.

    Western officials have accused Wagner of human rights abuses in Ukraine and parts of Africa, and last month the US announced sanctions on Ivan Maslov, whom it described as Wagner’s top official in Mali.

    Wagner has not commented on the Western allegations and its activities in Mali and other parts of Africa remain shrouded in secrecy.

    Minister Diop’s criticism of Minusma followed earlier Malian objections to France’s long-standing involvement in Mali. The alliance with France, the former colonial power, collapsed last year.

    Mr Diop spoke of a “crisis of confidence between the Malian authorities and Minusma” and said “the Malian government asks for the withdrawal without delay of Minusma”.

    Minusma’s mandate is due to end on 29 June, but UN chief Antonio Guterres has recommended that the mission be reconfigured to focus on a few limited priorities.

    The UN currently lists military contingents from Chad, Bangladesh and Egypt as the biggest in the force.

    When asked about Mr Diop’s remarks on Friday the UN special envoy to Mali, El-Ghassim Wane, said “we stand to be guided by whatever decision the [Security] Council may take”.

    But he added that without the host country’s consent “operating in a specific country would be extremely challenging, if not impossible”.

    A report by the UN high commissioner for human rights accused the Malian armed forces and “foreign security personnel” of having killed more than 500 people during an operation in the village of Moura, in central Mali, in March last year. The governments of Mali and Russia both condemned that report.

  • Mali calls UN Minusma peacekeeping force to end immediately

    Mali calls UN Minusma peacekeeping force to end immediately

    The UN should “without delay” remove its peacekeeping mission from Mali, according to the country’s foreign minister.

    The force, Minusma, was charged by Abdoulaye Diop of “becoming a part of the problem in fostering intercommunal tensions.” Speaking before the UN Security Council.

    There are more than 13,000 soldiers in Minusma. Its ten-year objective to halt the rise of extremist violence has fallen short.

    Now assisting Mali’s military authorities are Russian Wagner mercenaries.

    The UN should “without delay” remove its peacekeeping mission from Mali, according to the country’s foreign minister.

    The force, Minusma, was charged by Abdoulaye Diop of “becoming a part of the problem in fostering intercommunal tensions.” Speaking before the UN Security Council.

    There are more than 13,000 soldiers in Minusma. Its ten-year objective to halt the rise of extremist violence has fallen short.

    Now assisting Mali’s military authorities are Russian Wagner mercenaries.

    More on this story

  • Mali calls for ‘failing’ UN peacekeepers to withdraw

    Mali calls for ‘failing’ UN peacekeepers to withdraw

    Mali’s government has called for the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission which it says has been a failure.

    Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said he wanted the UN Security Council to approve the withdrawal without delay.

    Over a decade ago jihadist fighters and Tuareg rebels seized swathes of northern Mali.

    Since then thousands of UN troops have been based in the country.

    Despite their presence the security situation has steadily deteriorated and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced from their homes.

    There have been two coups since 2020 and after falling out with France, the military leaders have turned to Russia for help in the fight against Islamist militants.

  • Mali junta to hold vote on new constitution

    Mali junta to hold vote on new constitution

    On Sunday June 18, 2023, Malians will participate in the polls to express their verdict on the constitution proposed by the governing junta, raising speculation about the potential candidacy of the country’s authoritarian leader.

    The vote is the first organized by the military since it seized power in August 2020 of a country gripped for years by a political, security and economic crisis.

    Those problems remain largely unresolved, meaning the vote could be disrupted.

    It is a checkpoint on the road to a return of civilian rule in March 2024, under commitments made by the military itself.

    Boris Johnson fury as committee finds he ‘deliberately misled’ MPs

    But less than nine months before the deadline, Mali has no clarity on the future role of the military, including junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita.

    Malians will vote on the draft constitution from 0800 GMT on Sunday, with green ballots for the “yes” vote and red for “no”.

    The results are expected within 72 hours.

    The authorities have invested heavily in the reform.

    Jihadist groups continue to carry out bloody attacks on civilians and the military

    It purports to fix the country’s current constitution, enacted in 1992 and often blamed for Mali’s problems.

    The large Sahel nation faces jihadist violence, poverty, derelict infrastructure and decaying schools.

    If approved, the new constitution would strengthen the position of the military, emphasizing “sovereignty”, the junta’s mantra since coming to power and its subsequent break with the former colonial power France.

    Presidential power boost

    Above all, it strengthens the powers of the president, while also providing for an amnesty for those who carried out coups before it was enacted.

    It has fuelled persistent speculation that Goita will run for president, despite promises by the military rulers that he will not stand.

    The reform has drawn wide-ranging opposition, from former rebels and imams to political opponents.

    Influential religious organizations oppose the continuation of secularism enshrined in the current constitution.

    In the north, former rebels who, unlike the jihadists, signed a major peace deal with the state also reject it.

    Some political elites are unhappy with the strengthening of the executive around the president.

    Sidi Toure, spokesman for the Party for National Rebirth (Parena), described a “personalisation of power, a personality cult”.

    “If a new constitution is put in place, it must redress these excesses, balance the powers instead of concentrating them in the hands of the president alone.”

    “The draft constitution was made by the Malians,” the junta leader said at a campaign rally Tuesday, adding that the text was “the result of work by consensus”.

    Security concerns

    Beyond the legitimacy of the text, the issue of the vote itself is at stake.

    Mali’s future is uncertain, with no clarity on the future role of the military, including junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita.

    Voters could face jihadist violence in the north and center, where groups continue to carry out bloody attacks on civilians and the military.

    “Mali has more urgent challenges, we must rally Malians for the war against terrorism, for the war against poverty,” Toure said.

    One researcher, who like many others spoke on condition of anonymity, argued the old constitution was satisfactory.

    “The problem with the 1992 constitution is that it was never really applied… it cannot be the cause of the crisis,” the researcher said.

    Turnout is widely expected to be low.

    “Generally, Malians do not vote. Since 1992, turnout has rarely exceeded 30 percent,” said political scientist Abdoul Sogodogo.

    Observers say a vote for “yes” is almost certain.

    “Malians say that presidents from democratic regimes did not necessarily shine. Corruption has reached a certain level. People want to see something else,” said Brema Ely Dicko, a sociologist at Bamako University.

    Supporters of the reform are betting on the strong popularity of Goita and the so-called transitional authorities.

    “Some actors present this referendum as support for the transition,” said Sogodogo, the political scientist.

    “That means that the debate on the content is obscured.”

  • USA oppose sanctions against head of Wagner in Mali

    USA oppose sanctions against head of Wagner in Mali

    Washington made known a series of economic restrictions on Thursday against Ivan Maslov, the head of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner in Mali, accusing him of attempting to collect military supplies for use in the Ukrainian conflict.

    These sanctions “against the most important person in charge of the Wagner group in Mali aim to put an end to essential operations of support for the world activity of the group”, justified the under-secretary of the Treasury in charge of terrorism and financial intelligence, Brian Nelson, quoted in the release.

    These sanctions involve the seizure of all of Ivan Maslov’s assets in the United States, financial and real estate, as well as companies having a direct capital link with Mr. Maslov, and prohibit American companies or companies present on American territory from carry out the slightest transaction with Mr. Maslov or companies that he controls.

    “The presence of the Wagner group on the African continent is a destabilizing force for any country that allows its deployment on its territory,” Nelson added.

    This is not the first time that sanctions have targeted the Wagner group or some of its members for its actions in Mali. The European Union had thus announced at the end of February a series of sanctions targeting a dozen people, including Mr. Maslov, because of the “violations of human rights” attributed to the paramilitary company on the spot.

    Wagner, a paramilitary group founded in 2014, is considered by the United States to be an international terrorist organization. The United States, which has been trying for several years to thwart Russian influence in Africa, accuses the Wagner group of “committing human rights violations and extorting natural resources in Africa”.

    The group has established itself as a major player in the conflict in Ukraine, particularly in the battle around the city of Bakhmout, and its mercenaries have also been seen in Syria or Libya and more recently in the Central African Republic and, therefore, in Mali.

  • Mali to hold referendum on new Constitution on June 18

    Mali to hold referendum on new Constitution on June 18

    The Mali government has declared that on June 18, 2023, a long-awaited referendum on a new constitution would be held in the West African nation.

    The referendum is a major milestone on the road to elections promised for February 2024, after a coup in May 2021.

    Government spokesperson Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga on Friday read out a decree on state television saying the country was called upon “to decide on the Constitution project” in June, after missing a previous deadline of March 19.

    “Voters will have to respond by a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ to the following question,” on the referendum, the spokesperson said. “Do you approve of the draft constitution?”

    Members of the security forces in the nation will vote early on June 11.

    The delay in March had been expected since nearly no arrangements had been made for the vote and the draft constitution was only handed over to interim president and coup leader Assimi Goita on February 27.

    The Economic Community of West African States lifted a set of trade and financial sanctions against Mali in July after the military government committed to a March 2024 handover.

    The sanctions were imposed in January 2022 when the military government was considering remaining in power for up to five years.

    The draft constitution significantly strengthens the power of the president. Under it, the president rather than the government appoints the prime minister and ministers and has the right to sack them as well as dissolve parliament.

    Other sections of the draft have already triggered controversy.

    A part of the draft states that Mali is an “independent, sovereign, unitary, indivisible, democratic, secular and social republic”. Imams, a powerful class in the country, have been contesting the principle of secularism and have called on Muslims to oppose it.

    The draft also proclaims any coup as an “imprescriptible crime”. But those who carried out the 2020 coup and another one in 2021 to consolidate their hold on power would be safe since acts prior to the constitution going into effect would be covered by amnesty laws.

    Mali is in the throes of an 11-year-old security crisis triggered by a regional revolt in the north that developed into a full-blown rebellion. Frustration that French troops, who had been in the country since 2013, could not root out the rebels led to rising anti-French sentiments.

    That and military rule in the country led to soured relations with France, the country’s traditional ally and former coloniser, and closer ties with Russia.

  • ISIL,al-Qaeda allegedly kill Mali’s chief of staff, three others in ambush

    ISIL,al-Qaeda allegedly kill Mali’s chief of staff, three others in ambush

    In some areas of Mali and the Sahel for more than ten years, there have been rebel groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIL.

    The statement didn’t go into additional detail about the attack’s timing or the perpetrators, only stating that the ambush happened in the remote Nara area of Mali’s southwest Koulikoro province.

    It further stated that the delegation’s driver was still unaccounted for.

    Mali is one of several West African countries battling armed groups during the past decade.

    Rebels linked to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) armed group have seized swaths of territory across the region, killed thousands and displaced millions.

    In January, fourteen Malian soldiers were killed and 11 wounded in two separate attacks in central Mali after their vehicles struck explosive devices.

    Frustrations against the authorities’ failure to quell the violence have spurred two military takeovers in Mali since 2020.

    In 2022, French troops completed a withdrawal from Mali as relations soured between both countries due to two coups and the perceived ineffectiveness of the foreign military in tackling rebel activity.

    There have also been growing tensions between the UN mission and Mali’s military government following the alleged arrival of Wagner Group operatives from Russia to bolster government forces.

  • Village in northern Mali taken over by jihadist

    Village in northern Mali taken over by jihadist

    An Islamic State-affiliated Mali jihadist organization has taken control of a village in Ménaka, which is now largely under militant control.

    Following months of warfare, the Islamist terrorists captured another village, Tidermene, on Monday night.

    The terrorists were reportedly going around the area with guns, according to a local official who escaped to the regional seat Ménaka and confirmed the capture.

    In this area as well as in Gao, another province of northern Mali, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara has begun a significant attack since early last year.

    In addition to former Tuareg rebels who agreed to a peace agreement in 2015, there have been conflicts with fighters linked to Al-Qaeda.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Muslim leaders call for a vote against the newly proposed constitution

    Muslim leaders call for a vote against the newly proposed constitution

    On Tuesday, a significant group of Mali’s religious leaders urged their followers to oppose a new constitution that would uphold the country’s junta’s commitment to secularism.

    Mali’s proposed constitutional amendment is intended to allow the West African country to transition back to civilian governance from military authority.

    The plebiscite for the new constitution was initially slated for March 19, but the junta has not commented on the timeline due to growing skepticism about the day.

    Elections that would result in the return of civilian control will be held in February 2024, according to the junta’s stated agenda.

    A constitutional draft received by junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita late last month stated an “attachment to the republican form and to the secularism of the state”.

    “Secularism is not opposed to religion and to beliefs,” the drafts says, adding its aim was to “promote and reinforce living together based on tolerance, dialogue and mutual understanding”.

    But the Mali League of Imams and Scholars for Islamic Solidarity called Tuesday for the “removal of pure and simple of the word” secularism and for it to be replaced with “multi-confessional state”.

    It called on all “patriotic Muslims” to vote against the draft constitution in its current form.

    Mali is a Muslim-majority country.

  • Two Red Cross workers kidnapped in Mali

    Two Red Cross workers kidnapped in Mali

    In Mali, two International Committee of the Red Cross employees have been abducted.

    According to the organization, the kidnappings happened on a road connecting the northeastern cities of Gao and Kidal, which has long been a flashpoint for violence by Islamic groups.

    Since 2012, Mali has been experiencing a security crisis, and kidnappings are prevalent. Reasons for the abductions include demands for ransom and acts of retaliation against government security operations.

    A World Health Organization doctor was released from captivity in Mali last month, weeks after he had been taken from his automobile in the Ménaka district. Moreover, in May 2022, gunmen kidnapped three Italians and a citizen of Togo.

    The violence has also spread into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, killing thousands and displacing more than two million people in the region.

    Source: The Independent Africa

  • Ex-rebels take on jihadists in Mali – Report

    Ex-rebels take on jihadists in Mali – Report

    On Monday, former Tuareg rebel factions in northern Mali initiated combined military operations against Islamic State (IS) extremists, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of locals and the eviction of thousands more, according to French public broadcaster RFI.

    The coalition, known as the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP), pledged its allegiance to Mali’s transitional authorities. It downplayed reports of tensions between its members and the national army.

    The CSP said it was also declaring war against the al-Qaeda-linked Support Group for Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and a section of Coordination of Movements of the Azawad (CMA), which recently formed an alliance against IS.

    “We will go wherever the Islamic State commits massacres to secure civilians and their property and to secure the movements of displaced persons,” a CSP representative is quoted as saying.

    The coalition said it had taken this decision after the army and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group had failed to tackle IS militants despite their presence in Ménaka in north-eastern Mali.

    About 380 vehicles and nearly 2,500 men have been mobilised with the aim of defending the region against jihadists who have been accused of carrying out deadly attacks against civilian targets, according to the report.

    Source: BBC

  • Guinea, Burkina Faso and Mali seek re-entry to AU

    Guinea, Burkina Faso and Mali seek re-entry to AU

    The foreign ministers of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso are in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, ahead of an African Union summit to lobby to be let back into the organisation.

    All three countries were suspended from the African Union and the regional grouping Ecowas following military coups.

    Mali’s foreign ministry said the suspensions were hindering the desire of all three Sahel countries to make the transition back to civilian rule.

    The ministers will not be able to participate in the summit but say they have met foreign ministers from the hosts Ethiopia and the Comoros Islands who currently hold the presidency of the AU.

    Source: BBC

  • Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, demand re-admission to regional blocs

    Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, demand re-admission to regional blocs

    Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso’s foreign ministries have requested that their nations be allowed to rejoin the two regional blocs that had suspended them following recent military coups.

    In a joint statement, the ministers said they had agreed to work together to push for the lifting of their suspensions from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).

    Abdoulaye Diop of Mali, Morissanda Kouyate of Guinea and Burkina’s Olivia Rouamba held talks in Ouagadougou where they “agreed to pool their efforts and undertake joint initiatives for the lifting of the suspension measures and other restrictions” taken by the AU and Ecowas.

    The coups in Mali and Burkina Faso were triggered by frustrations following a jihadist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives in the Sahel countries.

    Guinea’s coup, on the other hand, was as a result of public anger against then President Alpha Conde who sought a third term in office, contrary to the provisions of the constitution.

    Source: BBC

  • Foreign minister of Russia visits Mali for dialogue

    Foreign minister of Russia visits Mali for dialogue

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Mali for talks with the military leadership of the country.

    Mr Lavrov, who was in Iraq on Monday, was welcomed on arrival by his counterpart Abdoulaye Diop and did not make any statement to journalists.

    The Russian minister is expected to hold talks with the country’s interim president, Assimi Goïta and the foreign affairs minister.

    The Russian news agency Tass said the two sides would discuss issues of co-operation – including military ties and the shipment of Russian grain, fertiliser and oil products to Mali.

    The talks will also touch on issues about the war in Ukraine and on tackling terrorism in the Sahel region.

    This is Mr Lavrov’s second trip to Africa in two weeks – after touring South Africa, Angola, Eswatini and Eritrea in January.

    Russia’s influence in Mali has steadily increased since the deployment of Wagner Group mercenaries in December 2021.

    Source BBC

  • Mali issues death sentence over peacekeepers’ killings

    Mali issues death sentence over peacekeepers’ killings

    A court in Mali has sentenced a man to death over the killing of three UN peacekeepers (Minusma) in the country’s south in 2019.

    The accused, who was not named, was convicted of acts of terrorism, criminal association, murder, robbery and illegal possession of firearms.

    The death penalty has not been applied in Mali since a moratorium on executions was put in place in 1980.

    In a statement, Minusma said this was the second time that specific attacks against its troops had been at the heart of a legal charge that has resulted in a trial and convictions

    The Minusma peacekeeping force which has had 12,000 troops in Mali since 2013 – is the UN’s largest and deadliest operation.

    Peacekeepers are frequently killed or wounded in attacks by al-Qaeda and Islamic State fighters.

    Source: BBC

  • Mali, Cameroon exit CHAN 2022 tournament

    Mali, Cameroon exit CHAN 2022 tournament

    Tuesday saw the group stage of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria come to a shocking conclusion as Cameroon and Mali were eliminated.

    Twice-placed finalists Mali needed just a draw against Mauritania to win Group D, but instead fell short 1-0 as Mamadou Sy’s goal in the 53rd minute advanced his nation to the quarterfinals.

    Cameroon, which hosted the previous tournament and finished fourth, needed just one point to win Group E, but Niger won 1-0 to take the top spot.

    Before the quarterfinals, the competition for footballers who play for clubs in their nation of origin now takes a two-day break.

    Friday’s matches pit title favorites Algeria against the Ivory Coast in Algiers and Senegal against Mauritania’s neighbors in Annaba.

    On Saturday, Mozambique and Madagascar square off in Constantine, while Niger takes on two-time runner-up Ghana in Oran.

    With Morocco and the Democratic Republic of the Congo winning the Chan twice each, Tunisia once, and Libya twice, none of the eight survivors have ever taken home the trophy.

    Following the predictable success of Algeria and Senegal in Groups A and B last weekend, minnows have made headlines with Madagascar’s victory in Group C on Monday.

    Before facing Mali, Mauritania had lost all six matches in two other appearances, and fought a goalless draw with Angola in Algeria last week.

    That automatically made them underdogs against Mali, whose proud Chan record included reaching the 2016 and 2020 finals.

    But the Mauritanians never allowed the Malians to settle in the first match of a double-header in the western city of Oran and Sy outjumped Souleymane Coulibaly to nod the match-winner.

    Following a dour draw with Congo Brazzaville, Niger were given little chance of stopping Cameroon, who were watched by football federation president and former superstar Samuel Eto’o.

    Cameroon had looked likelier to score until the match was turned on its head in the 69th minute as an Ousseini Badamassi free-kick deflected off Thomas Bawak into the net.

    Needing an equaliser to survive, Cameroon lay siege to the Nigerien goalmouth, but several poorly-taken free-kicks summed up a night to forget for the central Africans.

  • Ivory Coast soldiers back home after months of captivity in Mali

    Ivory Coast soldiers back home after months of captivity in Mali

    The return of 46 soldiers signals resolution of a bitter diplomatic standoff between the Ivory Coast and Mali.

    Forty-six Ivorian soldiers accused by Mali of being mercenaries have returned home after six months in captivity.

    The troops arrived at Ivory Coast’s Abidjan airport late on Saturday, a day after receiving a pardon from Mali’s military ruler.

    Their arrest in the Malian capital of Bamako in July of last year had triggered a bitter diplomatic fight between the neighbouring countries.

    Mali accused them of being mercenaries, while Ivory Coast said they were flown in to provide routine backup security for the German contingent of a United Nations peacekeeping mission.

    Emerging from their plane home on Saturday, each soldier held a small Ivorian flag and smiled as they shook hands with Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, who was waiting to greet them at the airport.

    “Now that this crisis is behind us, we can resume normal relations with the brother country of Mali,” Ouattara said once they were all on Ivorian soil.

    A spokesperson for the soldiers thanked Ouattara, and “the Ivorian people for their support and active solidarity”.

    “We are happy and relieved to return to the motherland,” he said.

    Their release comes days after a court in Bamako sentenced them to 20 years in prison on charges of conspiring against the Malian government and seeking to undermine state security. Three women, who had been among the original 49 arrested at the airport and released earlier, received death sentences in absentia.

    The sentences came ahead of a January 1 deadline set by leaders from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for Mali to release the soldiers or face sanctions.

    Source: Aljazeera.com

    .

  • Attack in Mali leaves five people dead

    Attack in Mali leaves five people dead

    Authorities said on Tuesday that five people were killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in south-east Mali, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the nation’s capital Bamako.

    The victims comprised three civilians and two firefighters who were members of a civil defence force.

    Military ceremonies and burials for the two service members are due for Wednesday, the AFP news agency reports.

    Monday’s attack is said to have happened in a part of the country where violence is rare while a jihadist insurgency rages in the central and northern regions.

    Source: BBC

  • Mali sentences 46 Ivory Coast soldiers to 20 years in prison

    A court in Mali has sentenced 46 soldiers from Ivory Coast to 20 years’ imprisonment for conspiring against the government, and three others to death in absentia.

    The soldiers were also fined more than $3,000 and convicted of carrying and transporting weapons, Prosecutor General Ladji Sara said in a statement on Friday.

    Forty-nine Ivorian soldiers were arrested at the airport in Mali’s capital Bamako in July, three of whom were later released. Their arrests led to a diplomatic row between the neighbouring countries and widespread condemnation from regional allies.

    The soldiers were detained when they went to work for Sahel Aviation Service, a private company contracted to work in Mali by the United Nations.

    Mali’s military administration said the soldiers were acting as mercenaries, while Ivory Coast said they were part of a UN peacekeeping mission.

    They were charged with attempting to undermine state security in August and convicted in a trial that began on Thursday and ended on Friday, ahead of a January 1 deadline set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the region’s main political and economic bloc, to release them or face sanctions.

    Ivory Coast said its troops were being held hostage, and has made repeated pleas for their release. The country announced last month that it would withdraw its remaining soldiers from the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

    One of Africa’s most volatile countries, Mali has for a decade relied on regional allies and peacekeepers to contain rebels who have killed thousands of people and taken over large areas of the central and northern regions.

    Mali has little to gain from antagonising a key neighbour, said Alexander Thurston, assistant professor of political science at the University of Cincinnati.

    “The junta is compounding its isolation and adding to the likelihood that (the UN peacekeeping mission) will collapse,” he said.

  • Mali requests different approach to renew UN mission

    The future of the UN mission in Mali (Minusma), according to the head of the country’s transition Col. Assimi Goita, would depend on a shift in strategy and improved ties with the military.

    Col Goita tweeted

    that he had held discussions with the UN head of peacekeeping operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who has been on a two-day tour of Mali ahead of the renewal of Minusma’s mandate.

    The state-linked L’Essor

    quoted Mr Lacroix as saying that this was about ensuring there was an agreement between Mali and the UN “so that when the time comes, the recommendations at the level of the [UN] Security Council are in line with the objectives of the Malian authorities”.

    UN peacekeepers have been in the country since 2013, but relations with Bamako have recently deteriorated.

    Several countries, including Germany and Cote D’Ivoire, have announced plans to withdraw from the mission or scale down their presence.

    Source: BBC

  • Mali demands shift in strategy in order to renew the UN mission

    The future of the UN mission in Mali (Minusma), according to Mali’s transition leader Col Assimi Goita, will rely heavily on a change in strategy and better relations with the country’s army.

    Col Goita tweeted that he had met with UN Chief of Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who is on a two-day tour in Mali ahead of Minusma’s mandate renewal.

    The state-linked L’Essor quoted Mr Lacroix as saying that this was about ensuring there was an agreement between Mali and the UN “so that when the time comes, the recommendations at the level of the [UN] Security Council are in line with the objectives of the Malian authorities”.

    UN peacekeepers have been in the country since 2013, but relations with Bamako have recently deteriorated.

    Several countries, including Germany and Cote D’Ivoire, have announced plans to withdraw from the mission or scale down their presence.

  • German to withdraw troops from Mali by mid 2024

    The German government said Tuesday that it plans to wind down the country’s participation in a U.N. military mission in Mali by the middle of 2024.

    Tensions have grown between Mali, its African neighbors and the West after Mali’s government allowed Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group to deploy on its territory.

    “The Malian soldiers who were so well trained then went out and fought with Russian forces, I don’t know 100 percent if it was Wagner’s forces every time or not, but they fought with Russian forces and there were also human rights violations. And that can’t be what we’re about.

    Not just training, no matter what happens afterwards, but acting on principles. And that is why we have ended the training mission,” said German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht at a discussion in Berlin.

    Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, had said in a brief statement that the government will propose to parliament granting a final one-year extension to the mission in Mali in May “to allow this deployment to be phased out in a structured way after 10 years.”

    The idea is to take account of elections in Mali that are expected in February 2024, he said.

    German military missions overseas require a mandate from parliament, which is typically granted on an annual basis.

    The current mandate for Germany’s participation in the U.N. mission known as MINUSMA allows for the deployment of up to 1,400 troops.

    Britain announced last week that it would withdraw its troops from the U.N. mission in Mali, saying that the West African country’s growing reliance on Russian mercenaries is undermining stability.

    Britain did not give a timeline for its withdrawal.

    France announced earlier this year it was withdrawing its own, much larger force from Mali after relations deteriorated with a junta that seized power in 2020.

    France, the former colonial power in Mali, led a nine-year mission and had at its peak 5,500 troops in the country to combat Islamic militants.

     

    Source: African News

  • British troops already in Ghana training Armed Forces, we don’t intend to send more – UK government

    The British government has denied reports that it intends to deploy some Special Forces to Ghana following the withdrawal of some 300 peacekeepers from Mali in the wake of frosty relations with Bamako over the involvement of Russian mercenaries in the fight against terrorist groups in the Sahel.

    UK-based ‘The Telegraph’ in a report stated that British ministers are also expected to be in Accra to hammer out a new security agreement which will position Ghana and by extension Burkina Faso as the new front line against terrorism.

    The report said it was unclear if the move was a face-saving operation in the wake of the mission in Mali being shut down or something more significant as British forces already train troops in Ghana.

    Reacting to The Telegraph’s reportage, the UK Minister for Armed Forces and Veterans indicated that the media outlet misunderstood the briefing they had from the UK government.

    According to James Heappey, British troops are already in Ghana training the Ghana Armed Forces and the UK government has no plans of sending more troops to Ghana.

    “I think they’ve just slightly misunderstood whatever they were briefed. The reality is that there are already UK troops here in Ghana training your Armed Forces. There is currently no plan to send anybody else.

    “If American, British and French troops were to come to Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana Togo and Benin, we won’t make things better because that doesn’t help. And that’s why your President entirely is right. This needs to be a West African solution to a West African problem,” Heappey told Accra-based Joy News on Tuesday, November 22.

    The British government has denied claims that it has been invited to send Special Forces to Ghana after it was forced to withdraw all its peacekeepers from Mali.

    Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana has also denied The Telegraph’s reportage.

    A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said the Government of Ghana has had no interactions with the UK Government aimed at deploying UK soldiers to Ghana as described in the story.

    The statement explained that the presence of the UK Minister for the Armed Forces in Accra was to participate in the Accra Initiative Conference on the 21st and 22nd of November 2022.

    “The Government of Ghana wishes to state that the information regarding British Special Forces is false. Neither Ghana nor any other member of the Accra Initiative has discussed with any partner, any such request nor contemplated the involvement of foreign forces in any of their activities,” the statement from the Ministry stressed.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • British soldiers expected in Ghana after withdrawal from Mali – Report

    With the withdrawal of some 300 British peacekeepers from Mali in the wake of frosty relations with Bamako over the involvement of Russian mercenaries in the fight against terrorist groups in the Sahel, some special forces are expected to arrive in Ghana.

    In a report by UK-based ‘The Telegraph’ and sighted by GhanaWeb, British ministers are also expected to be in Accra to hammer out a new security agreement which will position Ghana and by extension Burkina Faso as the new frontline against terrorism.

    It is unclear if the move is a face-saving operation in the wake of the mission in Mali being shut down or something more significant as British forces already train troops in Ghana.

    Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire all signed up for the Accra Initiative in 2017. This is a coalition which aims at stopping insecurity spilling over their borders from the Sahel.

    It was reported on Monday, November 14, that the UK will be withdrawing all of its troops from Mali, which until only a few months ago, Whitehall officials were describing as “the new frontline of the war on terror”.

    Former Africa Minister Rory Stewart, who championed the so-called “pivot to the Sahel” under Prime Minister Theresa May, was scathing about the real purpose of the Ghana trip, suggesting it was no more than a face-saving operation.

    “We struggled to maintain 300 troops in Mali, partly because it cost perhaps as much as a hundred million pounds from tightly stretched budgets,” he told The Telegraph. “I fear that the ‘pivot to Ghana and Burkina Faso‘ is largely a way of excusing our retreat from the Sahel and will ultimately add up to less than people pretend.”

    “We have been worrying about Burkina Faso for some time. But without an embassy there or any significant investment, there is a real limit to what the UK can do,” Stewart added.

    Source: Ghanaweb.com 

  • Mali: Military government prohibits French-Funded NGOs

    Mali’s military administration has announced a ban on the operations of NGOs sponsored or supported by France, including humanitarian organisations, amid an escalating dispute between Bamako and Paris.

    In a social media post on Monday, the country’s interim prime minister, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, justified the action as a reaction to France’s recent suspension of development aid to Mali.

    Three months after concluding its withdrawal of forces from the nation, the French Foreign Ministry announced last week that it had made the decision in response to Bamako’s suspected employment of paramilitaries from the Russian Wagner group. Mali denies this, acknowledging only the support of Russian military “instructors”.

    Maiga spoke in his statement of “fanciful allegations” and “subterfuge intended to deceive and manipulate national and international public opinion for the purpose of destabilising and isolating Mali”.

    “As a result, the transitional government has decided to ban, with immediate effect, all activities carried out by NGOs operating in Mali with funding or material or technical support from France, including in the humanitarian field,” it said.

    Last week a Foreign Ministry source said France would maintain its humanitarian aid as well as financing for “civil society organisations” in Mali.

  • British soldiers expected in Ghana after withdrawal from Mali – Report

    With the withdrawal of some 300 British peacekeepers from Mali in the wake of frosty relations with Bamako over the involvement of Russian mercenaries in the fight against terrorist groups in the Sahel, some special forces are expected to arrive in Ghana.

    In a report by UK-based ‘The Telegraph’ and sighted by GhanaWeb, British ministers are also expected to be in Accra to hammer out a new security agreement which will position Ghana and by extension Burkina Faso as the new frontline against terrorism.

    It is unclear if the move is a face-saving operation in the wake of the mission in Mali being shut down or something more significant as British forces already train troops in Ghana.

    Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire all signed up for the Accra Initiative in 2017. This is a coalition which aims at stopping insecurity spilling over their borders from the Sahel.

    It was reported on Monday, November 14, that the UK will be withdrawing all of its troops from Mali, which until only a few months ago, Whitehall officials were describing as “the new frontline of the war on terror”.

    Former Africa Minister Rory Stewart, who championed the so-called “pivot to the Sahel” under Prime Minister Theresa May, was scathing about the real purpose of the Ghana trip, suggesting it was no more than a face-saving operation.

    “We struggled to maintain 300 troops in Mali, partly because it cost perhaps as much as a hundred million pounds from tightly stretched budgets,” he told The Telegraph. “I fear that the ‘pivot to Ghana and Burkina Faso’ is largely a way of excusing our retreat from the Sahel and will ultimately add up to less than people pretend.”

    “We have been worrying about Burkina Faso for some time. But without an embassy there or any significant investment, there is a real limit to what the UK can do,” Stewart added.

  • Mali in West Africa was the richest Empire on Earth in the 14th century

    Some of the richest men in the world today are tech billionaires and business leaders from the West and China. However, the title of “richest man who ever lived” goes to a little-known ancient ruler from a part of the world that is more often associated with poverty than with unimaginable wealth.

    Mansa Musa was the king of the large Mali Empire in 1312. He took the throne when his predecessor, Abu-Bakr 11, who Mansa Musa had been a deputy for, went missing while looking for the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

    Musa took over as leader during a hard time when European countries were being destroyed by never-ending civil wars and a lack of resources. The Mali Empire, on the other hand, was thriving because it had a lot of gold and salt and other natural resources.

    Under this leader, the empire grew to cover a large part of West Africa, from the Atlantic coast to Timbuktu, a trading center in the middle of the country, and even some parts of the Sahara. Just like the area he controlled grew, so did his money and wealth.

    The rest of the world didn’t fully understand how much wealth King Musa controlled in his land until 1324. Musa was a religious Muslim who lived in a kingdom where most of the people were also Muslims. He went on pilgrimage to Mecca, but he didn’t go alone.

    Musa went to the Holy Land with a caravan of tens of thousands of soldiers, slaves, and heralds. They were all dressed in expensive Persian silk and carried golden staffs. Even though there is a lot of disagreement about how many people were in his group, the convoy that went with him was a big deal. It included camels and horses carrying hundreds of pounds of gold.

    This show of wealth caught the attention of the people who lived in the areas he traveled through, since such a large caravan would be hard to miss. When he went through Egypt, he had an effect on the people that would last for more than a decade.

    When he got to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, and was forced to meet with al-Malik al-Nusar, the ruler of Cairo, his true character was shown. Ancient historian Shihab al-detailed Umari’s writings say that Musa was met in Cairo by a junior official of al-Nasir, who invited him to meet with other royals. Musa turned down the offer, saying he was just on his way to the holy land to make a pilgrimage.

    His reason became clear as time went on. He didn’t want to see the sultan because he would have to kiss the ground and the sultan’s hand. After much doubt and persuasion, he finally agreed to the meeting.

    During the meeting, Musa still wouldn’t kiss the sultan’s feet, and things didn’t go well until he gave in to tradition and kissed the sultan’s feet. But because he was in Egypt, he shared his huge wealth with the people who lived there. He also bought from local traders and gave them gold in exchange.

    Then, news of Musa’s wealth spread to all parts of the world, not just in Africa. Even after he had died, which was between 1332 and 1337. By the end of the 14th century, Musa was shown on the Catalan Atlas of 1375, which was an important tool for sailors in medieval Europe. Abraham Cresques, a famous Spanish cartographer, made the atlas. In it, Musa was shown sitting on a golden throne with a golden sceptre, crown, and gold nugget in his hand.

    From the huge amount of natural resources he controlled to the growth and development of the communities he left behind, Musa was a true legend whose wealth dwarfs that of today’s billionaires. Even by today’s standards, it’s hard to say what his wealth was like.

     

    Source: theafricanhistory.com

  • France halts aid to Mali over Russia ties – reports

    France has suspended development assistance to Mali after finalising its move to end its 10-year military presence in the country, a foreign ministry source told the AFP news agency.

    French media quoted the foreign affairs ministry as saying it had suspended aid over “the attitude of the Malian junta allied to the Russian Wagner mercenaries”.

    The decision was said to have been taken “two to three weeks ago”.

    A group of French NGOs are said to have denounced the decision in a letter sent to President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, calling on him to review the position.

    According to the NGOs, the suspension of aid jeopardises dozens of development projects that are under way or planned in the country over the coming years.

    This suspension comes amid the increasing isolation of Mali.

    The UK on Monday said it would withdraw its 300 troops deployed in support of the UN peacekeeping mission there, a decision prompted by the junta’s partnership with the controversial Russian group Wagner.

    Source: BBC

  • Language proposal stirs thorny debate in troubled Mali

    Mali gained independence from France in 1960, yet even today French is the language of government business, used on road signs and in state TV broadcasts.

    But on Bamako’s streets, French is rarely heard, and out in the bush even less so.

    Mali has scores of its own languages — which is why, for some, it rankles that the tongue of the former colonial ruler is the only official language.

    A few lines in the country’s draft constitution are now fanning calls for change, albeit at the cost of reminding the West African nation of some of its many problems.

    “It’s been 60 years since independence — is it normal that French is our only official language?” asked Ali Guindo, a resident of the capital Bamako.

    “We have lots of languages here in Mali,” he said outside his home in Torokorobougou district. “It would be good to cement them in our official culture.”

    The debate has been sparked by the unveiling last month of a draft constitution, billed by the ruling junta as crucial for saving Mali from jihadist insurgents.

    As in the 1992 constitution it is designed to replace, the charter identifies French as the “language of official expression.”

    But, in a change, it also says local languages are “intended to become official languages.”

    More than 70 languages are spoken in Mali, a deeply poor Sahel nation with a fast-growing population of some 21 million.

    Of these 13 are recognised as “national” languages but French is the only official one, meaning that it is used for government and regulatory business, said Amadou Salifou Guindo, a specialist in sociolinguistics.

    Among the major local languages, Songhay and Tamashek are widely spoken in the north; Fulfulde in central areas by the Fulani, an ethnic group also known as Peul; Bambara predominates in Bamako; and in the country’s far south, Senufo and Soninke prevail.

    – Difficult debate –

    The few words in the proposed Article 31 have now fired up discussion, from TV talk shows to chats over tea in informal get-togethers known as grins.

    Among the questions: is it time to elevate vernacular languages to the status of official tongues? If so, which ones? And how can this be achieved?

    But these questions also have swirling undercurrents.

    One is Mali’s relationship with France, the country’s traditional ally, which has hit rock-bottom since the junta came to power in August 2020.

    Some have used the bust-up to seize on Article 31 as a means to phase out French and make Bambara, the most-used language in Bamako, the official one instead.

    But to do so touches on the sensitive question of national identity, potentially alienating speakers of other languages.

    “Malians are afraid of an official language being imposed to the detriment of others,” said Guindo the linguist.

    Another problem is rather more basic: teaching children to read and write in their local languages, which are rooted in oral traditions.

    Tech support: A woman uses a dictionary app to help her type a message in Bambara on her smartphone

    Under former president Moussa Traore who was ousted in 1991, experimental schools were set up that taught in vernacular languages.

    The “revolutionary” idea foundered on a lack of state investment, and the schools came to be seen by parents and teachers as second class, writer and publisher Ismaila Samba Traore said.

    – French dominates –

    Local languages are still being taught, but on a small scale.

    At the languages faculty at the University of Bamako, department head Mahamadou Kounta teaches Bambara to around 20 students.

    The work, he says, is akin to sowing seed.

    “When our students graduate, they will be able to read and write in the national languages and they in turn will be able to work to perpetuate them.”

    Traore, who runs a publishing company called La Sahelienne, has been in business for 30 years.

    He is one of the few publishers in Mali to bring out books in local languages — typically educational works ordered by international NGOs.

    Other than that, publishing remains overwhelmingly in French.

    Changing the constitution will not by itself alter habits that have been entrenched for decades, Traore admitted.

    “Certain processes cannot be achieved from one day to the other — you have to let things incubate,” he said.

     

    Source: African News

  • UK announces withdrawal from Mali

    The British government announced on Monday the early withdrawal of its military contingent currently deployed in Mali as part of the UN mission to the country.

    Behind the decision is the ruling junta’s use of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner.

    According to the Ministry of Defence, the commitment was supposed to last three years, but faced with the rising instability in the country, London decided to anticipate the withdrawal of its troops, who should leave the country in the next six months.

    France, the main country intervening militarily in Mali, notably through the Barkhane force, alongside its European partners announced in February their withdrawal from the country. The last French soldiers left Mali this summer, after nearly a decade.

    Almost 300 British soldiers have been in Mali since the end of 2020, as part of the deployment of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country launched in 2013 (Minusma, Ed.), aimed in particular at stabilising the security situation in a country plagued by jihadist attacks.

     

    Source: Africa News

  • Mali denies jihadist dominance of the country’s north

    The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) have denied allegations that the Islamic State (IS) group, whose presence there has grown since French forces departed the nation in August, is about to take control of the north-eastern Menaka region.

    “This is not true. These are falsehoods, attempts at propaganda, attempts to destabilise the Malian armed forces… Menaka is not under siege, less still Tessit or Ansongo [in neighbouring Gao region],” FAMa’s public relations director-general Col Souleymane Dembele said in a briefing on Monday.

    He also said the army has been frequently patrolling the region.

    The remarks coincide with plans by leading trade unions in Gao to begin a two-day strike today to protest against the military government’s apparent inaction against growing Islamist militant attacks.

    This is worsened by nearly daily reports of kidnappings, armed robberies and livestock theft by criminal gangs that move between the volatile borderlands.

    Reports emerged on Monday of an audio message purportedly belonging to the leader of a prominent pro-government militia – the Self-Defence Group of Imghad Tuaregs and Their Allies (Gatia) – urging members of the Tuareg community in Mali and neighbouring countries to take up arms against the IS.

    Tuareg militia have been at the frontline of fighting against the IS, which has been accused of massacring hundreds of civilians in Menaka since March.

    Late last month, deadly clashes between fighters from IS and rivals from al-Qaeda’s Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) erupted over the control of Menaka, forcing thousands of residents to flee.

    Although the army has been receiving support from Russian mercenaries who arrived in December, French troops’ hasty departure upended nearly a decade of efforts to stabilise the Sahel nation.

    Since the insurgency broke out in 2012, Malian authorities have lost control of vast parts of the country.

    Source: BBC

  • Russia will send $100 million in food and fuel to Mali, according to a minister

    As anti-French sentiments rise in Bamako, Mali’s military government has been strengthening ties with Russia.

    Mali’s economy minister, Alousseini Sanou, says the West African country expects Russia to send shipments of fuel, fertilizer, and food worth around $100 million in the coming weeks.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed providing the supplies with his Malian counterpart in August, a sign of deepening ties as Mali’s relationship has soured with its longtime ally and former colonial ruler, France.

    Speaking on national television from Moscow, Sanou said on Wednesday that Russia was going to send 60,000 tonnes of petroleum products, 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser and 25,000 tonnes of wheat.

    Mali’s ruling military government came to power in a 2020 coup and has sparred repeatedly with neighbouring countries and Western powers over election delays, alleged army abuses and cooperation with Russian mercenaries in its fight against an uprising that has raged in Mali since 2012.

    Fighters from the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-linked private military company, have been supporting the Malian army since late last year in its fight against groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).

    In October, Putin told Mali’s interim president, Assimi Goita, that Moscow was committed to strengthening cooperation to help root out “terrorist groups” in Mali.

    France intervened militarily in Mali in 2013, leading an effort to remove armed groups that had seized control of towns in northern Mali.

    The departure of French troops in August raised new concerns about whether those fighters would regain territory as security responsibilities have now fallen on the Malian military and United Nations peacekeepers.

  • Dozens of militants killed in Mali air strikes

    Malian forces say they killed 50 militants in air strikes conducted in Tessalit area in northern Kidal region, the state broadcaster ORTM reported.

    The strikes were directed at positions held by militant groups.

    “We had a successful aerial operation and the toll was as follows: 50 terrorists killed, five armoured vehicles burnt and 35 motorcycles belonging to the terrorists destroyed. I urge the residents in the area to resume normal activities,” Col Ibrahim Samassa, the commander in charge of the Gao zone, told the state broadcaster.

    The air strikes come a day after two improvised explosive devices hit a UN peacekeeping convoy killing four Chadian soldiers and injuring two others.

    The army, supported by Russian mercenaries and local militia groups, has been battling jihadist groups in central and northern Mali.

    Militants from Islamic State’s so-called Sahel Province have increased their presence in northern Mali since French forces withdrew in August.

    The Malian military has increased operations since last December when Russian mercenaries were deployed to the country.

    Source: BBC

  • Fourth UN peacekeeper dies after Mali blast

    A fourth UN peacekeeper in Mali has died as a result of a blast caused by an improvised explosive device.

    The UN patrol was checking for landmines in Tessalit in northern Mali when the blast took place on Monday.

    All of those who died were from Chad.

    About a 180 peacekeepers have been killed during the decade-long UN mission in Mali.

    It began in response to a jihadist insurgency, but the violence has persisted and spread.

    The head of the mission, El-Ghassim Wane, told a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York that more help was desperately needed.

    Source: BBC

  • Bus explosion in Mali leaves over 10 dead, dozens wounded

    At least 11 people were killed and 53 injured when a bus hit an explosive device in central Mali on Thursday, according to a hospital source.

    The explosion occurred on the road between Bandiagara and Goundaka in the Mopti area on Thursday afternoon, a security source said. The region is known as a hotbed for violence by roaming armed groups.

    “We have just transferred nine bodies to the clinic. And it’s not over yet,” said Moussa Housseyni of the local Bandiagara Youth Association, adding that they were all civilians.

    Earlier, police and local sources gave a provisional toll of 10 dead and many seriously injured.

    For more than a decade, Mali has struggled to contain activity by armed rebel groups that has killed thousands of people and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

    Mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are among the rebels’ weapons of choice. They can explode on impact or be detonated remotely.

    A report by MINUSMA, the United Nations mission in Mali, found that mines and IEDs had killed 72 people in 2022 as of August 31. Most of the victims were soldiers – but more than a quarter were civilians, the report said.

    Last year, 103 people were killed and 297 injured by IEDs and mines.

  • At least 11 killed, more injured in Mali bus blast

    At least 11 people died in central Mali when a bus hit an explosive device on the road between Bandiagara and Goundaka.

    Many others were seriously injured.

    A jihadist insurgency in the West African country has claimed thousands of lives and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

    A report by the UN mission in Mali (Minusma) found that mines and improvised explosive devices had caused more than 70 deaths by the end of August this year.

    It said most of the victims were soldiers – but a quarter are civilians.

    Source: BBC

  • Africa needs ‘ethical and moral uprightness as guiding principles’ – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has shared nuggets that can put Africa on the right footing in seeking to better the lot of people on the continent.

    He identified among others absolute accountability of institutions, ethical and moral uprightness and stoic fidelity to the truth as three such values Africa needs.

    His views were contained in a Facebook post dated October 9 sharing portions of a speech he delivered at the Liberty University’s convocation event last week in the United States.

    “Absolute accountability, not just by government but by the institutions of state in service to the people and not themselves, will go a long way to remedy many of the systemic problems that affect our African people.

    “In Africa, we need ethical and moral uprightness as guiding principles, and a stoic fidelity to the truth and to do right by our people above all other considerations,” his post accompanied by photos of his engagement read.

    Mahama was a special guest of honour at the 2022 Liberty University Convocation in Lynchburg, Virginia where he delivered a speech to a packed auditorium.

    He described Ghana as “an island of religious calmness in a sea of turbulence,” citing how “almost all our surrounding neighbours have in recent times experienced some major form of insurgency, coup d’etats or other conflicts, including religious conflicts.”

    He explained the situation in Ghana’s northern neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, where insurgents are running roughshod.

  • West African leaders in Mali over detained Ivorians

    Mali’s transitional authorities have received a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) for talks on the fate of 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in the country since 10 July.

    Mali’s military leader Col Assimi Goïta welcomed the Ecowas leaders as they arrived at the Modibo Keita International Airport in Bamako on Thursday, according to the Malian presidency on Facebook.

    The delegation comprises Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, his Gambian counterpart Adama Barrow, Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Dussey and mediator for Mali Goodluck Jonathan.

    The military-led government had postponed the arrival of the Ecowas delegation to Thursday, citing “calendar constraints”. They had been due to arrive two days earlier.

    Senegalese President Macky Sall and his Togolese counterpart, Faure Gnassingbe, were to be part of the delegation announced last Thursday, during an extraordinary Ecowas session the same day in New York, on the side-lines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

    Ecowas chairperson Umaro Sissoco Embalo had hinted at fresh sanctions for Mali if it continued to detain the 46 Ivorian soldiers.

    Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, said his country would not obey any order on the detention of the soldiers, accused of being mercenaries.

    Source: BBC

  • Fiba launch investigation after fight breaks out among Mali players

    Basketball’s world governing body has launched an investigation after a fight broke out among Mali players at the Women’s World Cup in Australia.

    One member of the team attacked a team-mate in the mixed zone, where reporters interview players, after their 81-68 defeat by Serbia on Monday.

    The result saw Mali eliminated from the tournament after their fourth defeat.

    As others interjected to break up the fight, the incident was caught on camera by Serbian television.

    In a statement, Fiba said: “Following the incident, Fiba has opened an investigation. Once the investigation is concluded, Fiba will decide on any applicable disciplinary measures.”

    Serbia’s Sasa Cado, who was being interviewed at the time, looked visibly shocked, taking a step back as Salimatou Kourouma threw at least three punches at Kamite Elisabeth Dabou.

    The tournament in Sydney has been hugely frustrating for the Malians, who are one of two sides at the 12-team finals that are yet to win a game, following previous losses against Japan, hosts Australia and France.

    Mali are only playing in the tournament after African champions Nigeria, who beat their fellow West Africans in last year’s Women’s Afrobasket, were withdrawn from the tournament by their government owing to issues in Nigerian basketball.

    Malian basketball has also faced considerable challenges in recent times, with a report in 2021 outlining ‘decades’ of sexual abuse in the country’s women’s game.

    The report was commissioned by Fiba, which cleared its president – Malian Hamane Niang – of neglecting the abuse while he led the Malian basketball federation between 1999 and 2007.

    Source: BBC

  • Mali players fight each other at Basketball World Cup

    After Mali lost 81-68 to Serbia on Monday to register their fourth straight defeat at the Women’s Basketball World Cup, their fans might have thought their campaign could not get any worse.

    Yet that would have been to reckon without the team having to make their way through the media area, just minutes after their elimination from the competition.

    As they loitered on the edge of the mixed zone, where reporters interview players, one member of the Mali team unexpectedly launched an assault on another.

    The incident was caught on camera by Serbian television as they conducted an interview with one of their players following the victory in Sydney, Australia.

    Serbia’s Sasa Cado looked visibly shocked, swiftly taking a step back, as she set eyes upon the scene in front of her, with Salimatou Kourouma throwing at least three punches at Kamite Elisabeth Dabou.

    Her team-mates swiftly interjected to break up the fight, which came a day before Mali finished their Group B campaign with a match against Canada.

    The tournament has been hugely frustrating for the Malians, who are one of two sides at the 12-team finals to have yet to win a game, following previous losses against Japan, hosts Australia and France.

    Mali are only playing in the tournament after African champions Nigeria, who beat their fellow West Africans in last year’s Women’s Afrobasket, were withdrawn from the tournament by their government owing to issues in Nigerian basketball.

    Malian basketball has also faced considerable challenges in recent times, with a report in 2021 outlining ‘decades’ of sexual abuse in the country’s women’s game.

    The report was commissioned by basketball’s governing body Fiba, which cleared its president – Malian Hamane Niang – of neglecting the abuse while he led the Malian basketball federation between 1999 and 2007.

    Source: BBC

  • Mali lose to Australia in basketball World Cup

    Mali suffered their second defeat in as many games as they were thrashed 118-58 by hosts Australia on Friday at the Basketball World Cup.

    Having suffered a 89-56 loss to Japan on Thursday, the African runner-up champions lost every quarter against the Australians by at least 10 points in Sydney.

    Mali are only playing at the tournament because Nigeria, who qualified after winning the 2021 AfroBasket Women championship, were withdrawn by their government owing to what the latter called “unending drama” in the country’s sport.

    Mali meet France on Sunday before facing Serbia on Monday – their final Group B game is against Canada on Tuesday. All the games will be played in Sydney.

    The top four in the group make it through to next week’s quarter-finals.

    Source: BBC

  • Mali accuses France of arming Islamist fighters in letter to U.N

    Mali says France has violated its airspace and delivered arms to Islamist militants in an attempt to destabilize the West African country, the latest in a barrage of accusations that have marked the bitter end to their once close relations.

    In a letter to the head of the United Nations Security Council dated Monday, Mali’s foreign affairs minister, Abdoulaye Diop, said its airspace has been breached more than 50 times this year, mostly by French forces using drones, military helicopters, and fighter jets.

    “These flagrant violations of Malian airspace were used by France to collect information for terrorist groups operating in the Sahel and to drop arms and ammunition to them,” the letter said.

    Mali provided no evidence to show that France had supplied arms to Islamist groups. France has spent a decade and billions of dollars to stamp out Islamist militants, some with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State, in its former colony.

    “France has obviously never supported, directly or indirectly, these terrorist groups, which remain its designated enemies across the planet,” said the French Embassy in Mali, in a Twitter thread.

    It said that 53 French soldiers had died during its nine-year mission in Mali and that France had killed hundreds of Islamist fighters in order to improve security for Malians. France has also suffered Islamist attacks at home, it added.

    The accusations mark a new low in relations just as France pulls the last of its troops out of Mali and Russian mercenaries hired by Mali’s military government expand their reach. The swap worries western powers who see their influence slipping in the Sahel.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed possibly supplying food, fertilisers and fuel to Mali in a call with the country’s interim president last week.

    German U.N. soldiers said they saw Russian forces landing at the airport and unloading equipment on Monday in the northern town of Gao, the day the last French soldiers left.

    French forces were welcomed as heroes in Mali in 2013 when they beat back Islamist groups that had taken over the north, including the fabled city of Timbuktu.

    But a series of setbacks and prolonged attacks by the militants have soured relations, which became worse since a military junta overthrew the government in 2020 and later overthrew an interim civilian cabinet.

    Source: msn.com

  • Togo begins mediation on detained Ivorian soldiers

    Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey met Ivorian officials in Abidjan on Tuesday for talks on 49 Ivorian soldiers who were arrested in Mali earlier this month.

    The soldiers were arrested on arrival in Bamako on suspicion of being mercenaries.

    Ivory Coast insists the troops were there to support the UN mission, known as Minusma, under an agreed contract between the two countries.

    But the junta in Mali says its foreign ministry was not informed of the deployment via the official channels.

    On Tuesday, Mr Dussey indicated that the Ivorian president and the Malian junta leaders wanted to preserve peace between their nations, according to a statement.

    President Alassane Ouattara expressed his gratitude to the minister for the initiative to find a resolution to the matter, the statement added.

    Ivory Coast has been calling for the immediate release of its soldiers.

    Source: BBC

  • At least 20 killed in Mali jihadist attacks

    At least 20 civilians have been killed in attacks blamed on jihadist fighters in northern Mali, a regional official there says.

    The violence on Saturday was near the city of Gao.

    The official told the French news agency that the situation was very worrying with many civilians fleeing as the Islamist militants carried out atrocities.

    The UN says the security situation in the Gao and Ménaka regions has deteriorated sharply.

    Earlier on Sunday a UN peacekeeper was killed by a mine in Kidal in the north.

    Source: BBC

  • Mali junta decrees two-year delay before democracy

    Mali’s military leaders have confirmed there won’t be a return to civilian rule for two years.

    The interim President, Colonel Assimi Goïta, has signed a decree fixing the length of the transition period.

    The army initially seized power in 2020 and has been under international pressure to hold elections sooner.

    Mali is struggling to deal with crippling sanctions imposed after it failed to hold a planned vote in February.

    Over the weekend, the West African regional grouping, Ecowas, decided to keep the measures in place.

    It will examine the situation again during its next extraordinary summit next month.

    The bloc had asked Mali to review its two-year transition period, considering 12 or 18 months to be reasonable.

    Source: BBC