This closure is the ninth among the twelve camps they have in the country, according to a statement published on social media. The camp was handed over to the Malian authorities, represented by the Prefect of Ansongo, by the head of the Minusma office in Gao, the largest city in northern Mali. #PressRelease - After ten years of presence, MINUSMA closes its base in #Ansongo. The separatist groups are opposed to Minusma handing over the camps to the Malian authorities, which they say goes against the agreements reached in 2014 and 2015 when they agreed to cease fire. Nevertheless, on Tuesday, the Malian army announced that it had taken Kidal, a town in northern Mali, from Tuareg separatists, after years of absence from this strategic territory that has become a major sovereignty issue for the central state.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 19, 2023 15:42 UTC