According to security and local authorities speaking to media on Friday, a group of Malian soldiers and Russian paramilitary fighters, numbering several dozen, have arrived in the northern town of Tessalit, as the UN mission prepares to vacate its camp in the area.
“As part of the takeover of the UN mission’s camps in Mali, our troops arrived in Tessalit on Thursday,” a military official in the north of the Sahel country told media.
According to two local officials, dozens of soldiers and personnel affiliated with the Russian paramilitary company Wagner were transported by a Malian army aircraft.
One of the local officials reported that these newcomers have integrated with the pre-existing UN camp, where the soldiers had previously operated a small unit.
These actions are part of an ongoing security reorganization initiated following the junta’s seizure of power in 2020. The junta subsequently instructed the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA to depart by the end of 2023.
Various armed groups are currently engaged in conflict for territorial control, and the transfer of UN camps is evolving as a significant concern.
Mainly consisting of Tuareg separatist factions, who had previously reconciled with the government in 2015, have now rekindled their armed struggle. Additionally, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist coalition known as the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) has intensified its assaults on military positions.
Since August, MINUSMA has been gradually transferring control of a number of its camps to Malian authorities.
In the upcoming weeks, MINUSMA is set to hand over additional camps, including locations in the northern regions such as Tessalit, Aguelhok, and Kidal.
Earlier this month, the military deployed a substantial convoy heading towards Kidal.
The convoy is presently positioned approximately 110 kilometers (70 miles) to the south of Kidal and has encountered hostile attacks during its journey.
