Three Bangladeshi peacekeepers were injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Mali on Sunday (May 28, 2023) morning. The blast took place on Sunday at around 9:30 am local time in Mali, when a motorcade of a patrol team under Bangladesh Formed Police Unit (BANFPU-2) reached the remote desert road along the mountains of Gundam-Tongka-Niaphungke Highway, some 15 km off from the Gundam Super Camp in Mali's Timbuktu Region, according to a press release issued from Police headquarters here on Monday evening. The Armoured personnel Carrier (APC), which was carrying the policemen, was also damaged in the incident, says the press release. The Police headquarters did not disclose identities of the three injured Bangladeshi police peacekeepers. Read more: US lauds Bangladeshi peacekeepers' role The patrol team was part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). According to the press release, the peacekeepers on patrol duty spotted a suspicious hole in the middle of the road. The IED exploded as they maneuvered past the hole. “Due to the intelligence of the police peacekeepers and the APCTs' capability to withstand the high-level explosions, they escaped from greater danger,” said the press release. It is also to be noted that MINUSMA authorities have highly appreciated the members of BANFPU-2, MINUSMA, and Mali as they have performed their peacekeeping duties with utmost professionalism and vigilance. Read more: 3 Bangladeshi peacekeepers injured in Central African Republic IED blast die IED blasts are common in this region of Mali.

Amid a delayed return to civilian rule, the deteriorating security and the dire humanitarian and human rights situation in Mali, the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali should be extended for another year, speakers told a Security Council meeting on the situation in Mali on Monday. UN Mission's mandate needs to be bolstered "While the challenges in Mali are numerous and complex, they are far from being insurmountable," said El-Ghassim Wane, special representative of the secretary-general in Mali and head of the UN mission, expressing hope for breakthroughs. Echoing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's acknowledgement of the need for the mission's continued presence and recommendation to extend its mandate for another year, Wane stressed the importance for the mission to be allowed to move freely to fulfil its mandate. Armed conflicts have led to massive displacement, said Sadya Toure, director of Mali Muso, a non-profit for girls' education, when briefing the council on behalf of civil society. Also read: 2 UN peacekeepers killed in 6th incident in Mali in 2 weeks "Women are not safe anywhere," and many schools have closed across the country, affecting some 450,000 children, she said, adding that teenagers in Mali have grown up in a violent environment without any prospects, and high rates of unemployment "have led to insecurity and social unrest," making teenagers easily recruited for armed groups. Addressing these issues must be a priority if the international community wants to ensure long-lasting peace and reconciliation, she said, emphasizing the need to bolster the UN mission's mandate to allow it to operate alongside Malian forces to combat terrorism. Broad support In the ensuing discussion, members broadly supported the extension of the mandate. Nicolas de Riviere, the permanent representative of France to the United Nations, proposed renewing the mission's mandate for another year. Meanwhile, he said the Malian transitional authorities must also take up their responsibilities and remove obstacles to the mission's activities and the rotation of contingents. The mission would benefit from stronger support in troop contribution, capacity-building on counter-terrorism measures and provision of adequate logistics, said Harold Agyemag, Ghana's permanent representative, also speaking for Gabon and Kenya. While highlighting the critical role of the mission, India's permanent representative T. S. Tirumurti emphasized the importance of not burdening the mission with direct counter-terrorism-related operations, injecting a different perspective. These operations need to be undertaken by national security forces, he said, adding the concerns raised by the mission regarding the capacity gaps result from the withdrawal of international forces from Mali. Also read: UN peacekeeping convoy attacked in Mali -- 1 killed, 3 hurt Noting most victims were from the pastoralist Fulani groups, Odd-Inge Kvalheim, Norway's deputy permanent representative, pointed to the ethnic dimension of the violence, and insisted the UN mission "be given full and unrestricted access to investigate such crimes." The conflict in the northern part of the country has spilled into its center, spread across the entire nation and has now reached neighboring states, said Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, noting that to reverse this trend, the government has invested massively in national defense and security forces. Deteriorating security According to the secretary-general's latest report on Mali dated June 2, the departure of French and other international forces is likely to create a vacuum in parts of Mali that terrorist armed groups may exploit. The violence involving Islamic State-affiliated groups, which killed hundreds of civilians and displaced 32,000 people in the eastern Malian region of Menaka, can be attributed to the imminent departure of these forces, according to the report. Since February, Mali's authorities have been blocking the rotation of 2,480 uniformed personnel from seven West African countries. This was in response to the sanctions the Economic Community of West African States imposed on Mali in January, due to the delays in Mali's political transition to restore constitutional order after coups d'etat in 2020 and 2021, according to the Security Council report. Mali remains one of the most dangerous places for peacekeepers. Established in April 2013 following a military coup and the occupation of the north by radical Islamists, the UN mission in Mali supports political processes and performs tasks related to security and civilian protection. ■

A U.N. peacekeeping convoy was attacked by suspected terrorists in northern Mali on Wednesday and a Jordanian peacekeeper was killed and three other Jordanians were wounded, the United Nations said. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the supply convoy was under sustained fire for about an hour from attackers who used small arms and rocket launchers. Also read:China urges int'l community to do more for Mali's peace, stability U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack and sent deepest condolences to the families of the peacekeepers and the government and people of Jordan, Dujarric said. According to the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali, the attack was the fifth incident in the northern Kidal region in just one week, Dujarric said. “It is a tragic reminder of the complexity of the mandate of the U.N. mission and of its peacekeepers, and the threats peacekeepers face on a daily basis,” he said. The Security Council later released a statement condemning the attack and and calling on authorities in Mali to investigate and bring those responsible to justice. The staatment added that council "underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.” Mali has struggled to contain an Islamic extremist insurgency since 2012. Extremist rebels were forced from power in Mali’s northern cities with the help of a French-led military operation, but they regrouped in the desert and began launching attacks on the Malian army and its allies. Insecurity has worsened with attacks in the northern and central regions on civilians and U.N. peacekeepers. Mali’s military returned to Kidal, a longtime rebel stronghold in the north, in February 2020, six years after its forces retreated amid violence. U.N. peacekeepers have also been deployed in the north. The U.N. force has said over 250 of its peacekeepers and personnel have died since 2013, making Mali the deadliest of the U.N.'s dozen peacekeeping missions worldwide. The U.N. special representative for Mali, El Ghassim Wane, issued a statement Wednesday saying the U.N. mission remains determined to support Mali's people and government in their quest for peace and security, Dujarric said. In August 2020, Malian President Boubacar Ibrahim Keita, who died in January, was overthrown in a coup that included Assimi Goita, then an army colonel. Last June, Goita was sworn in as president of a transitional government after carrying out his second coup in nine months. Also read:France and EU to withdraw troops from Mali, remain in region In mid-May, Goita’s government said security forces had thwarted a countercoup attempt that it said was supported by an unnamed Western government. The accusations of foreign interference come as Goita’s regime becomes increasingly isolated. A day earlier, the government announced that Mali was dropping out of a five-nation regional security force known as the G5. It was also sharply critical of former colonial power France, which announced in February it was pulling its troops out of Mali. While Mali’s junta initially agreed to an 18-month transition back to civilian rule, it failed to organize elections by the deadline in February. Last month, the government said it would need two more years in power before it could organize a vote.

A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the international community to do whatever it can to help bring peace and stability to Mali. "The international community should bear in mind the overall situation of maintaining regional stability, actively provide help and support, and do more things that are conducive to peace and stability in Mali," Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told a Security Council meeting on the situation in Mali. Dai said China commends the continuous communication on the political transition between parties concerned and hopes that the parties will reach an agreement as soon as possible to push the political process forward on the right track. Also Read: China demands 'immediate cancellation' of Pelosi's Taiwan visit plan The international community should support the transitional authority of Mali in accordance with the consensus reached at the National Reconstruction Conference to advance the reform process, implement the peace agreement, formulate and implement a comprehensive strategy for the central region, and help Mali embark on the development path that suits its national conditions, he added. On combatting terrorism, the envoy said "there should be no slack in the fight against terrorism. We should continue to support the Malian Government's efforts to combat terrorism and maintain stability, help it step up capacity-building, and respect its right to international security cooperation." "China has noted the concerns in some media reports about human rights violations in the counter-terrorism operations in the Moura region," said Dai, adding that the Malian side has already made clarifications, emphasizing that relevant actions were aimed at rescuing local people, and that they have always respected human rights and were willing to conduct relevant investigations. "China hopes that all sides will exercise restraint, and avoid making groundless accusations before any conclusion is reached by the investigation," Dai said. Also Read: China calls for probe into Bucha killings, assigns no blame Referring to the economic situation in the landlocked country in West Africa, Dai said that 42.7 percent of Malian people live in extreme poverty and 7.5 million people need humanitarian assistance, with 960,000 children under the age of five suffering from severe malnutrition. The international community must not forget about the difficulties faced by African countries such as Mali, and African development issues should not be marginalized, he noted. "As a good friend of African countries, China will continue to stand by African countries, accelerate the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and continue to support Mali and other African countries in their economic recovery," Dai said.    

President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that France will withdraw its troops from Mali nine years after it first intervened to drive Islamic extremists from power but intends to maintain a military presence in neighboring West African nations. Announcing the move during a Thursday news conference in Paris, Macron accused Mali’s ruling military junta of neglecting the fight against Islamic extremists and said it was logical for France to withdraw since its role is not to replace a sovereign state on the battlefield. “Victory against terror is not possible if it’s not supported by the state itself,” the French leader said. France has about 4,300 troops in the Sahel region, including 2,400 in Mali. The so-called Barkhane force is also involved in Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. Also read: France eases entry rules for vaccinated travelers from U.K. Macron said the French pullout would be done “in an orderly manner” in coordination with the Malian military. France will start by closing military bases in the north of Mali, and the withdrawal will take between four or six months, he said. “We cannot remain militarily involved” alongside Malian transitional authorities with whom “we don’t share the strategy and goals,” Macron said. European leaders simultaneously announced Thursday that troops from the European-led military task force known as Takuba also would withdraw from Mali. The Takuba task force is composed of several hundred special forces troops from about a dozen European countries, including France. Tensions have grown between Mali, its African neighbors and the European Union, especially after the West African country’s transitional government allowed Russian mercenaries to deploy in its territory. Macron said a coalition of allies will remain present in the Sahel and the Guinea Gulf to counter actions from Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Macron organized a summit in Paris on Wednesday evening to address the issue with regional and European leaders of countries involved in the Sahel. Representatives from Mali and Burkina Faso coup leaders were not invited since both nations were suspended from the African Union following coups. Also read: Macron: Putin told him Russia won’t escalate Ukraine crisis Senegalese President Macky Sall, who also chairs the African Union, said security and the fight against terror was “vital” for both Europe and Africa. Speaking alongside Macron, Sall said he understood the decisions by France and the EU to end theirs operation in Mali but was pleased that an agreement on a new arrangement was reached to provide a continued presence in the Sahel. Sall said there was a consensus during among EU and African leaders during their discussions that the fight against terror “should not be the sole business of African countries.” Macron said the “heart” of the French operation “won’t be in Mali anymore” but in neighboring Niger, especially in the region bordering Burkina Faso, Macron detailed. He did not give an estimate of how many forces would take part in the new operation. French forces have been active since 2013 in Mali, where they intervened to drive Islamic extremists from power. But the insurgents regrouped in the desert and began attacking the Malian army and its allies. Macron said support for civilians in Mali would continue, but he blamed the junta now ruling the country for its decision to hire a private Russian military contractor known as the Wagner Group, which the EU accuses of fomenting violence and committing human rights abuses in Africa.

A total of 140 members of Bangladesh Police reached Mali on Monday to join the United Nations (UN) Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The police team left Hazrat Shahjalal  International Airport here for Bamako, the capital city of West African country Mali, by a chartered aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Sunday night, said AIG (Media) of the Police Headquarters Md Kamuzzaman on Monday afternoon. Among the police members, Commander Hasan Md Shawkat Ali has been leading 70 members of Bangladesh Formed Police Unit (BANFPU-1 under 8th rotation) and Deputy Commander rest 70 members of BANFPU-2 team under 4th rotation. It may be mentioned that earlier on January 13 another 140-member contingent had already reached in Mali as advance team. Deputy Inspector General of Police Md Haider Ali Khan and officers of the UN desk and operations wing gave them a farewell at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. READ: FPU of Bangladesh Police reaches Kinshasa Since 2013, members of the Bangladesh Formed Police Unit (BANFPU) -1 have been serving in the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali's Bamako with professionalism. Since 2017, the BANFPU-2, MINUSMA, Mali unit has been operating with great reputation in the Gundam area of the Timbuktu region in the heart of the Sahara Desert in northern Mali. Due to the extremely difficult geographical location and adverse weather conditions, the members of Bangladesh Police have brightened the image of the country in the international arena by performing their duties with utmost courage and professionalism. According to the Centre for Research Information (CRI), Bangladesh stepped into the family of "Blue Helmets" through participation in UNIIMOG (Iraq-Iran) in 1988 with 15 military observers from Bangladesh Army.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the former president of Mali who took office in a landmark election held after a destabilizing coup only to be ousted in another military takeover nearly seven years later, has died. He was 76. Keita, known to Malians by his initials IBK, had been in declining health since his forced resignation in August 2020, and had sought medical treatment in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, shortly after his release from junta custody. The transitional government, which is still led by the man who ousted Keita from power 18 months ago, issued a statement saying that his death Sunday in Bamako followed “a long illness.” Read:Nigeria attacks: Hundreds reported killed as bandits target villages “The government of the Republic of Mali and the Malian people salute the memory of the late great,” the statement said, adding that funeral details would come later. The news comes as the turbulent West African nation faces a deepening political crisis, with coup leader Col. Assimi Goita having no immediate plans for a return to democracy as initially promised. Keita won Mali's historic 2013 presidential election held after an earlier coup in 2012 and a subsequent French-led military intervention the following year to oust Islamic extremists from power in the country's north. But only seven years later, Keita himself was ousted by another military takeover following months of public demonstrations against his presidency. Keita had three years left in his final term when mutinous soldiers detained him at his residence in August 2020 after firing shots outside the house. Hours later, he appeared in a midnight broadcast on state television, telling Malians he would resign immediately. “I wish no blood to be shed to keep me in power,” Keita said at the time. “I have decided to step down from office.” The country has descended into further chaos since his departure. Goita last year launched a second coup, throwing out the civilian transitional leaders and making himself president. West African regional leaders imposed tough economic sanctions earlier this month after Goita indicated that Mali's next presidential election won't be held until 2026, after initially agreeing to an election by the end of next month. The measures halted commercial flights from most other countries in the regional bloc known as ECOWAS and froze the Malian government's assets in commercial banks. A protest movement against Keita’s presidency in 2020 saw tens of thousands demonstrate in the streets in the months leading up to his overthrow. As discontent with his leadership mounted, Keita had tried to make concessions to his critics, saying he was even open to redoing the vote. But those overtures were swiftly rejected by opposition leaders, who said they wouldn't stop short of Keita’s departure. Support for Keita also tumbled amid criticism of his government’s handling of the Islamic insurgency, which significantly expanded into central Mali during his tenure. A wave of particularly deadly attacks in the north in 2019 prompted the government to close its most vulnerable outposts as part of a reorganization aimed at stemming the losses. Keita signed a peace agreement with the former rebels, but it was never fully implemented, prolonging the instability. In the 2013 election, Keita had emerged from a field of more than two dozen candidates to win Mali’s first democratic election after a 2012 coup — a landslide victory with more than 77% of the vote. He also enjoyed broad support from former colonizer France and other Western allies. In 2018, Keita was reelected to a second term after receiving 67% of the vote. “I will remember him as a cultured man, a great patriot and a committed pan-Africanist,” tweeted Niger's former President Mahamadou Issoufou, who led the neighboring country throughout Keita's presidency as the two nations faced the growing regional threat posed by Islamic extremists. “I lose in him a friend and a comrade.” Read: 17 al-Shabab militants killed in foiled attack in central Somalia Born in 1945, Keita hailed from the town of Koutiala in what is now southern Mali. He studied in Bamako, Dakar, Senegal, and Paris, earning a master’s degree in history with postgraduate studies in politics and international relations before entering politics. His early posts included being ambassador to neighboring Ivory Coast and diplomatic adviser to President Alpha Oumar Konare, who took office in 1992. Keita then served as prime minister from 1994 to 2000, and later as president of the National Assembly from 2002 to 2007. He is survived by his wife, Aminata Maiga Keita, and their four children.

A Bangladesh Police team left for the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali on a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Thursday night. The 140-member strong contingent flew to Mali's capital Bamako, Assistant Inspector General-AIG (Media) of Police Headquarter Kamruzzaman said on Friday. Read: 180 policewomen leave for Congo to join UN mission Of the contingent members, 70 are led by Commander Shahinur Alam Khan for the 4th rotation under Bangladesh Formed Police Unit (BANFPU-2) and 70 are led by Deputy Commander Md Snighdo Akhtar for the 8th rotation under BANFPU-1. DIG (Operations & Media and Plan) Md Haider Ali Khan and officials of the UN Affairs (Operations) Wing saw off the peacekeeping team at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Bangladesh Police have been performing duties in Mali under the UN peacekeeping mission there since 2013.

As many as 140 members of Bangladesh Police working with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) have been awarded the UN Medal for their outstanding contribution to the global peacekeeping operations. The medal was presented to the Bangladesh cops at the MINUSMA headquarters on September 21, where the mission's Police Commissioner General Bettina Patricia Bugani was present as the chief guest. Read: Dhaka underscores need for adequate funding of UN peacekeeping missions General Bettina praised the professionalism and dedication of Bangladesh Police in her speech. She said the members of BANFPU-1 have been very active in executing the mission mandate.  

France’s president announced the death of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara’s leader late Wednesday, calling Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi’s killing “a major success” for the French military after more than eight years fighting extremists in the Sahel. French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that al-Sahrawi “was neutralized by French forces” but gave no further details. It was not announced where al-Sahrawi was killed, though the Islamic State group is active along the border between Mali and Niger. “The nation is thinking tonight of all its heroes who died for France in the Sahel in the Serval and Barkhane operations, of the bereaved families, of all of its wounded,” Macron tweeted. “Their sacrifice is not in vain.” Rumors of the militant leader’s death had circulated for weeks in Mali, though authorities in the region had not confirmed it. It was not immediately possible to independently verify the claim or to know how the remains had been identified. Read:US airstrike targets Islamic State member in Afghanistan “This is a decisive blow against this terrorist group,” French Defense Minister Florence Parly tweeted. “Our fight continues.” Al-Sahrawi had claimed responsibility for a 2017 attack in Niger that killed four U.S. military personnel and four people with Niger’s military. His group also has abducted foreigners in the Sahel and is believed to still be holding American Jeffrey Woodke, who was abducted from his home in Niger in 2016. The extremist leader was born in the disputed territory of Western Sahara and later joined the Polisario Front. After spending time in Algeria, he made his way to northern Mali where he became an important figure in the group known as MUJAO that controlled the major northern town of Gao in 2012. A French-led military operation the following year ousted Islamic extremists from power in Gao and other northern cities, though those elements later regrouped and again carried out attacks. Read: Islamic State degraded in Afghanistan but still poses threat The Malian group MUJAO was loyal to the regional al-Qaida affiliate. But in 2015, al-Sahrawi released an audio message pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. The French military has been fighting Islamic extremists in the Sahel region where France was once the colonial power since the 2013 intervention in northern Mali. It recently announced, though, that it would be reducing its military presence in the region, with plans to withdraw 2,000 troops by early next year. News of al-Sahrawi’s death comes as France’s global fight against the Islamic State organization is making headlines in Paris. The key defendant in the 2015 Paris attacks trial said Wednesday that those coordinated killings were in retaliation for French airstrikes on the Islamic State group, calling the deaths of 130 innocent people “nothing personal” as he acknowledged his role for the first time.