The UN notes more than 1,000 civilians killed and 445 injured by violence in Mali in the last 12 months

June 16 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Nations has verified this Friday the death of 1,002 Malian civilians and another 445 injured by the violence registered throughout the last twelve months in the African country, scene in the same period of more than thirty attacks against the forces of the UN mission, MINUSMA, which have left nine peacekeepers dead and 33 seriously injured.

In the evaluation that the head of MINUSMA, El Ghasim Wane, has presented to the United Nations General Secretariat in New York, the UN mission in the country points to a certain “decrease in violence” during the period evaluated — from July 22, 2022 to May 23 of this year — compared to the last annual report “due to increased military operations and a change in tactics by extremist groups” operating in the country.

Mali and the rest of the countries of the Sahel have experienced an upsurge in violence in recent years, both by groups linked to the branches of the terrorist organizations Al Qaeda and the Islamic State that operate in the region, as well as by inter-community groups. In addition, abuses by security forces have helped these groups to swell their ranks.

By comparison, the United Nations estimated last year that 1,556 civilians were killed and 530 injured during the period between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022.

The United Nations warns, however, that the humanitarian situation in the country has progressively worsened over the last 12 months to an “alarming” point. Humanitarian organizations working under the UN-coordinated humanitarian response plan have estimated that by 2023, 8.8 million people will require humanitarian assistance and protection in the country, an increase of 17% compared to the previous year, especially in the regions of Mopti, Timbuktu, Gao, Kidal and Ménaka.

The violence in Mali has left, according to the last count of April this year, a total of 375,539 internally displaced persons, a decrease of 8.9% compared to the figure of 412,387 registered in December 2022. The central regions of the country such as Bandiagara, Douentza, Mopti, San and Ségou are the most affected by this situation, with a total of 208,210 displaced persons (55 percent). As for the other 151,384 displaced persons (40 percent), they are registered in the regions of Gao, Kidal, Ménaka, and Timbuktu.

MINUSMA ends by emphasizing the enormous difficulties it has gone through in the last year due to the “tensions” with the current coup authorities headed by the self-proclaimed “interim president” of the country, Colonel Assimi Goita, and which have led to a ” considerable reduction” in the mobility of blue helmets and difficulties “in relation to certain tasks such as investigations into Human Rights”.