Four Unites Nations peacekeepers were killed and Five were wounded recently in an attack in Mali. It was death and injuries were caused during an improvised explosive device or mine attack in the north-eastern region of Kidal in Mali. The MINUSMA truck which was a part of a logistics convoy hit the explosive device during which the casualty occurred.
What is MINUSMA?
- MINUSMA stands for United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali,
- It is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali.
- It was established on April 25, 2013 by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2100 (that was adopted in 2013).
- It was established in order to stabilise the country after the Tuareg rebellion of the year 2012.
- MINUSMA was officially deployed on July 1, 2013.
- It is UN’s most dangerous peacekeeping mission in which 209 peacekeepers have been killed out of 15,200.
- The headquarters of the MINUSMA is in the Malian capital, Bamako.
- The Military intelligence are evaluated by the Force Headquarters U2- Intelligence Section.
Tuareg Rebellion of 2012
The rebellion was an early stage of the Mali War. It happened from January 2012 to April 2012. During this, a war was waged against the Malian government by rebels. The war was started with the aim of attaining independence for the northern region of Mali that is known as Azawad. The war was led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA). The war was a part of insurgencies by traditionally nomadic Tuaregs.
The Tuaregs
They are a large Berber ethnic confederation. They inhabit the Sahara in an area starting from southwestern Libya to southern Algeria, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. They have been called the “blue people” because of the indigo dye clothes which they traditionally wear.
