Minusma closes its eighth camp out of a total of thirteen in Mali. The Kidal base closed this Tuesday two weeks before the initial scheduled departure date. There is no longer a UN base in this north-eastern region of Mali and all eyes are now on the belligerents on the ground.
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With our correspondent in Bamako, Serge Daniel
By taking control three weeks ago of the town of Anéfis, located around a hundred kilometers from Kidal, one could think that the Malian army and its partners from Wagner, a Russian paramilitary company, intended to advance from the start of the war. Minusma to take control of his Kidal camp. It was not the case.
Are they preparing to unveil a new strategy? By controlling the town of Annéfis, further south, and that of Tessalit further north, will they create a mobile front line to advance towards Kidal, which the peacekeepers have just left?
On site, the rebels grouped within a coalition called CSP-PSD already had the keys to the city in hand. They have been on site since Tuesday.
Will hostilities resume? Recently, Malian Prime Minister Choguel Maïga hammered out in public: “ We are determined to control the entire extent of our national territory », clearly by force if necessary.
Read alsoIn Mali, the UN mission continues its withdrawal operations
The rebels say they are ready to defend themselves. While awaiting further events, the Kidal region is emptying of its population. Many civilians have already found refuge in a neighboring country, Algeria.