The 143 vehicles left Kidal on 31 October and travelled nearly 350 kilometres, transporting 848 peacekeepers from Bangladesh, Chad, Egypt, Guinea and Nepal, as well as equipment. ‘A tremendous feat’The convoy – which was reportedly approximately nine kilometres long – encountered six improvised explosive devices along the way. As the drawdown of MINUSMA personnel continues, half of the 13,871 personnel have now departed the country. Chadian and Guinean peacekeepers who were in the convoy that left Kidal are this week scheduled to depart Gao for their homelands. Mr. Dujarric reaffirmed the UN’s determination to complete the MINUSMA withdrawal by 31 December, adding “and we are counting on the full support of Mali in that regard.”Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.
