By AFP More by this AuthorThe United Nations mission in Mali officially ended its 10-year deployment in the country on Monday, in a pullout ordered by Mali's military leaders. Read: UN faces 'difficult' next phase of Mali force pulloutWane said that all staff not involved in the liquidation phase will have left Mali by December 31. On Monday, mission chief Wane highlighted the difficulty of operating in a tense security context along with the "high expectations" of the population. Read: UN peacekeepers leave Mali in a hurry, under fireThousands of civilians and fighters have died, and millions have been displaced. After seizing power, Mali's junta ditched the country's alliance with former colonial power France, following months of deteriorating relations, preferring rapprochement with Moscow.

Source: Daily Nation December 13, 2023 06:19 UTC