The withdrawal of almost 13,000 soldiers from the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) is an “unprecedented” operation, stressed the UN Secretary General, António Guterres.
In a 13-page letter distributed to members of the UN Security Council on Monday, Guterres said that “the timing, scope and complexity of the mission’s withdrawal are unprecedented.”
The “vast terrain of the landlocked country, the hostile operating environment in some regions and its climates make the withdrawal of the mission within six months extremely difficult,” the Portuguese admitted.
The document was distributed at a meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to the progress of the withdrawal of MINUSMA, which should be completed before December 31, a requirement of the Government of Mali.
Guterres said the logistics of moving troops and equipment are further constrained by the presence of “armed terrorist groups” and the recent takeover by a military junta in neighboring Niger.
Mission leader El-Ghassim Wane told the meeting that the withdrawal had made “significant progress” and was “on the right track” but conceded that the second phase could be “extremely difficult” due to the same factors. mentioned by Guterres.
As an example, Wane described the experience of the closure of the Ber camp, in which the last convoy of ‘blue helmets’, equipment and materials took 51 hours to travel a distance of 57 kilometers to reach the city of Timbuktu.
“This was due to the unfavorable nature of the terrain – a situation aggravated by the rainy season – and insecurity. This convoy was attacked twice by unidentified extremist elements, injuring four ‘blue helmets’ and damaging three vehicles before reaching Timbuktu.,” he said.
Since 2012, Mali has been facing a deep security crisis that began in the north and spread to the center of the country, as well as neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Minusma, who has been in the African country for 10 years, began to leave his posts after the Malian transitional government, led by a military junta, called for his “immediate” withdrawal in June, a request that was subsequently approved by the Security Council. . .from the ONU.
Source: TSF
