The mission said it had brought forward its withdrawal from a base in the north of the country due to deteriorating security conditions. During the operation, three of its soldiers were wounded when they came under fire, the force added a few hours later. The MINUSMA force’s departure from Ber comes after the Malian army said Saturday that six soldiers died and 24 fighters from “armed terrorist groups” were killed in a skirmish in the area Friday. Former rebels from the Tuareg ethnic group also said the army and the Russian mercenary group Wagner had attacked their forces Friday in Ber. SOURCE: VOA

Source: The North Africa Journal August 15, 2023 09:39 UTC