The United Nations began winding down its peacekeeping mission in Mali in July. As U.N. forces withdraw, various militant groups have launched offensives across the country.
Al Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) militants have launched a series of offensives in central Mali, and Islamic State-allied insurgents have carried out attacks in the eastern part of the country. The army is also engaged in fighting with Tuareg rebels in northern Mali. The Wagner Group’s 1,000 mercenaries have failed to provide the same stability once offered by the 13,000-strong United Nations force. Since the junta leadership ordered the U.N. to begin pulling out its forces, over 650 individuals have died in conflict. JNIM forces are rapidly approaching Timbuktu as local residents are still recovering from a Sept. 7 passenger boat attack that killed 111 people.
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https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/mali-meltdown-militants-advance-un-withdraws-2023-10-03/
