Peacekeepers with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) are greeted by children. (Photo: MINUSMA/Marco Dormino)
By Gary Raynaldo UNITED NATIONS
UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK – France’s withdrawal of troops in Mali will leave UN peacekeepers and civilians in danger in the West African nation. French Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday France begin withdrawing troops from Mali after nearly 10 years fighting armed unrest. France has about 5,100 soldiers in the Sahel as part of its Operation Barkhane mission. The departure of French and other European soldiers from the Sahel will impact the the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in protecting civilians. The UN mission was established by Security Council resolution 2100 of 25 April 2013 to support political processes in that country and carry out a number of security-related tasks. MINUSMA is the most dangerous UN peacekeeping operation in the world with more than 200 “blue helmets” killed since 2013. It is bound to be an even deadlier UN mission after French soldiers depart.
Seven UN peacekeepers from Togo killed in central Mali
UN MINUSMA Peacekeeping operation in Africa / (credit: un.org)
In December 2021, seven UN peacekeepers from Togo were killed Wednesday and three others seriously injured when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in the Bandiagara region in central Mali. In 2012, Islamist radicals linked to al-Qaeda hijacked an uprising by ethnic Tuareg people and went on to seize cities across northern Mali, holding on for nearly a year until they were forced out by a French military intervention. When the 11,000 U.N. troops arrived in 2013, they were meant to protect a fledgling peace deal and train the Malian army. But Islamist extremists regrouped across the region. It did not take long before the militants started targeting peacekeepers, whom they dubbed “Crusader occupation forces.”
53 French Soldiers Killed in Sahel Operation Barkhane Since 2013
(credit: defense.gouv.fr) BCH Tanerii MAURI, 1 CL Quentin PAUCHET and 1 CL Dorian ISSAKHANIAN of the 1st Chasseurs regiment of Thierville-sur-Meuse were killed Dec. 28, 2020 in the region of Hombori, Mali.
Mali is currently a political mess, having gone through two military coups last year. Operation Barkhane is a $1 Billion per year mission that failed in its mission of eradicating Islamist terror in the Sahel, as such deadly attacks continue despite the presence of thousands of soldiers and UN peacekeepers. The future of the $1.2 Billion/year UN MINUSMA operation uncertain as a result of France ending Barhkane. All those soldiers and peacekeepers in a combined operation costing more than $2 Billion per year, and Mali and the Sahel is none the safer after 10 years.
UN MINUSMA Future Uncertain As France Ends Operation Barkhane
When asked about the impact of French soldiers pulling out of Mali will have on the UN peacekeeping mission, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General António Guterres said Thursday:
“The Mission continues to play a very critical part, role in Mali, notably working in support of the authorities to prevent terrorist attacks, to protect civilians, to encourage the Malian authorities to complete the political transition within a reasonable time frame. And the re-energizing of the peace agreement. And, of course, the protection of civilians, which the Mission does every day and often at extremely… and the ultimate costs for a lot of our peacekeepers.”
(Credit: Gary Raynaldo ©Diplomatic Times) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General, briefs reporters at UN world headquarters in New York, NY.
