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22 UN Peacekeepers Injured in Sixth IED Incident amid Mali Withdrawal, Total Injuries Hit 39

Mali's rebel groups under suspicion for the IED attacks on peacekeepers during withdrawal, as UN's exit from military base exacerbates security concerns.

Overview

  • 22 UN peacekeepers were injured in northern Mali when their convoy was hit by two improved explosive devices (IEDs) as they were withdrawing from the country due to deteriorating security conditions.
  • This marks the sixth such incident since the peacekeepers began to retreat from their base in northern Kidal on October 31, leading to a total of 39 injured peacekeepers to date.
  • The injured were evacuated by air for immediate medical treatment in Gao, a city in Mali.
  • In June, Mali's military ordered the nearly 15,000-strong peacekeeping force, known as MINUSMA or the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission, to leave, leading to an accelerated withdrawal that was meant to be completed by December 31.
  • The withdrawal has heightened security concerns, with rebel groups like the extremist al-Qaida-linked JNIM and a Tuareg-dominated alliance launching attacks and claiming control over certain regions following the UN's departure.