Mali’s military junta has officially terminated the 2015 peace agreement with Tuareg rebels in the northern region of the country, a move that has the potential to further destabilize the already precarious situation in the Sahel nation.
The peace deal, known as the Algiers Accord, was brokered by the United Nations in an effort to ease tensions during a period marked by Tuareg insurgencies against the central government since 2012. However, the accord had only been partially implemented.
On Thursday, the military authorities announced the immediate termination of the Algiers Accord, citing the failure of other signatories to fulfill their commitments and expressing dissatisfaction with the role played by chief mediator Algeria. Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, the junta spokesman, conveyed this decision in a statement broadcast on state television.
The Algerian government has not yet responded to the announcement.
The rebel group, operating under the Coordination of Azawad Movements, expressed little surprise at the junta’s decision. In the preceding month, the armed groups had suspended their participation in the agreement, pending the organization of a crisis meeting with the Malian government on neutral ground.
Recent months have witnessed an escalation in attacks by the rebels, leading to territorial gains in northern Mali. Simultaneously, they have faced fierce resistance from the Malian armed forces, which collaborated with the Russian military contractor Wagner Group and ousted French forces and UN peacekeepers from the region. This latest development raises concerns about the potential for increased conflict and instability in Mali.
