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Mali orders suspension of U.N. peacekeeping mission rotations

14 July 2022 19:22 (UTC +04:00)

Mali's military-led government said on Thursday it was temporarily suspending troop rotations by U.N. peacekeeping mission MINUSMA, days after arresting 49 soldiers from Ivory Coast who it said had arrived in the country without permission, APA reports citing Reuters.

Mali's ruling junta, which seized power in an August 2020 coup, has repeatedly butted heads with many of its traditional partners following sanctions and condemnation over election delays and its security cooperation with Russian mercenaries.

When the U.N. Security Council renewed MINUSMA's mandate last month, Malian authorities vowed to defy U.N. calls to allow freedom of movement for peacekeepers to investigate human rights abuses.

The suspension of troop rotations for the nearly 12,000-strong mission will remain in place until Malian officials can organise a meeting with MINUSMA representatives to discuss coordination between the two sides, Mali's foreign ministry said in a statement.