A Malian army helicopter recently fired several rockets.nearof British peacekeepers, the British authorities said on Tuesday, April 12, an exceptional incident fueling questions about the future of the UN mission in this country.
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“We are informed of a recent incident in Mali in which rockets were fired by a Malian armed forces helicopter near a British detachment“said a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense in a message to AFP. “All UK personnel are safe and the circumstances of the incident are being investigated“, he added. The facts took place near Tessit, near Gao, in the east of the country. “A few weeks ago, UK peacekeepers came under fire and the incident is being investigated“, confirmed in New York the spokesperson for the UN, Stéphane Dujarric, in response to questions during his daily press briefing.
“This is an event that took place on March 22“, he added, speaking”shots fired by a Malian armed forces helicopter in the Tessit area, near a Minusma detachment“. “There were no injuries, the peacekeepers were safe in every respect“, he assured. When asked about a possible involvement in this event of paramilitaries from the Russian Wagner company, the spokesperson said he did not know. Asked whether this was the first such incident between blue helmets and Malian forces, he said he could not say.
“Air access”
Bamako denies any presence of mercenaries from the Wagner group on its soil, recognizing only an assistance of “russian instructorsin application of a bilateral cooperation agreement dating back to the 1960s. year and still ongoing. Last week, US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Richard Mills, without citing the UK, denounced an incident “unacceptable“having taken place on March 22 in which a Malian helicopter had “fired six rockets near peacekeepers in eastern Mali“.
According to a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity, Wagner paramilitaries could be involved in the incident alongside the Malian army. The Malian army has been accused of the massacre at the end of March of hundreds of civilians in Moura (center) with the participation of alleged Wagner mercenaries. Bamako denied this massacre, claiming to have neutralized jihadists. The Malian authorities have announced the opening of an investigation. Russia at the end of last week congratulated Bamako for its operation to neutralize jihadists in Moura.
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Tuesday, Stéphane Dujarric said that the UN investigation into the events of Moura was continuing. “The investigation must continue on the ground in order to establish the facts. In this regard, a Minusma team has been pre-deployed in Mopti and stands ready“to go to Moura as soon as the Malian authorities give”air access to the area“said the spokesperson. The mandate of the Minusma mission, which includes some 14,000 soldiers and police, expires in June. Several troop-contributing countries have undertaken to review their participation in light of the latest developments in Mali. The end of the French and European operations will deprive the blue helmets of precious air and medical support and the UN is studying the means of minimizing it.
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