Mali's Military Rulers Use Russian Mercenaries, UN Calls For Review of Dispatch of Peacekeeping Troops

JAKARTA - Members of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday called for a review of peacekeeping operations in Mali (Minusma), as tensions with the west African country's military rulers increase, over the use of mercenaries from Russia's Wagner Group.

Barbara Woodward, UK Ambassador to the United Nations warned the council there could not be "business as usual" when it came to Minusma.

"We must be prepared to adapt and refocus the mission, reviewing any support that carries a risk to the UN's credibility and reputation," said Woodward, citing The National News, April 13.

The warning comes as the UN Security Council is considering three options put forward by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the future of the peacekeeping mission: increase its size, reduce its influence, or withdraw troops and police and turn it into a political mission.

Mali has been battling a security and political crisis since a religious extremist and separatist rebellion began carrying out attacks in the north in 2012.

The UN stabilization mission Minusma – made up of around 15.000 troops – was deployed in the Sahel country the following year, to help return the country to constitutional order.

Mali's military overthrew the government in August 2020, following popular protests against its failure to stop the rebels.

Minusma is one of the most dangerous peace operations for the "blue helmets", according to the United Nations. Since its founding, 168 peacekeepers have lost their lives while on missions.

Echoing the sentiments expressed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his review of Minusma, US diplomat Jeffery DeLaurentis said the success of the mission "depends" on the full cooperation of the Malian authorities.

"It is irresponsible for the Security Council to continue to deploy peacekeeping forces in conditions where they cannot succeed," he said.

Meanwhile, Alex Vines, Africa expert at Britain's Chatham House, told The National News the mission, which will mark its 10th anniversary this month, should be "withdrawn" after June.

"They (Minusma) are increasingly failing to fulfill their mandates and the Malian junta is increasingly using them as scapegoats for its own failures," Vines explained.

Meanwhile, Nicolas de Riviere, French Ambassador to the United Nations, underscored the role of the peacekeeping force and noted, "necessary decisions" must be made for Minusma to fulfill its mission.

"Like all peacekeeping operations, Minusma has a human rights mandate and must be able to carry out its duties without hindrance," he explained.

"In this case, it is unnatural that we are still not informed about the Moura massacre, which was carried out more than a year ago with, as we know, the involvement of the Wagner Group. Those responsible must be brought to justice," he said.

The Wagner Group - a network providing mercenaries founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin - has been operating in Mali, despite evidence gathered by the United Nations pointing to its involvement in widespread human rights abuses.

Separately, Human Rights Watch said Malian soldiers and foreign fighters executed 300 civilians in March last year in Moura.

Malian troops operate alongside foreign troops, Human Rights Watch said. The fighters are believed to be Russian, as witness reports suggest they did not speak French.

In January, UN human rights experts called for an investigation into the activities of the Wagner Group in Mali.

France, Britain, and Germany ended Minusma's three-year deployment in Mali due to tensions with the transitional authorities, as well as the country's decision to join forces with Russian mercenaries.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement on Wednesday his country remained "committed to the region".