At least 22 UN peacekeepers injured in retreat from northern Mali base
Al JazeeraOCT 2023
The Malian junta's claim that MINUSMA was a failure is false, as its mandate was not to recapture territory lost to the Islamists, but to strengthen the Malian army's capabilities in the fight against the extremists. Moreover, the UN stabilization mission acted as a mediator between some rebel groups and the military junta in Bamako to lay the foundations for lasting peace. MINUSMA has been a success, and the military government in Bamako kicking France and the UN out of the country is irresponsible — Mali is not yet in a position to ensure the country's security on its own.
While the UN is claiming its ten-year presence to be a success, Mali's security situation has continued to deteriorate. Remarkably, it was only after MINUSMA pulled out of one of its bases in the north that the Malian government was able to achieve a major strategic victory against separatist rebels. That this was achieved with the support of Russia's Wagner Group is further proof that Bamako's move to seek new allies was right. The fact that MINUSMA is following France's example and has officially ended its Mali mission will help restore Mali's stability.