The UN stabilisation mission in Mali known as MINUSMA announced Monday (Oct. 16) their pullout has started from two camps in the tense Kidal region. The peacekeeping mission kicked off its withdrawal from Mali's northern region with the Tessalit and Aguelhok camps. Anticipating the UN disengagement, the Malian army landed two aircrafts at one of the camps at Tessalit. Northern Mali is the theatre of fighting between the Malian authorities, an alliance of groups seeking independence known as CMA and Al-Qaeda-linked group GSIM. The UN withdrawal from northern Mali is supposed to end by December 31after 10 years of presence.

Source: The North Africa Journal October 17, 2023 05:56 UTC