Mali War

The Mali War has been ongoing since 2012. The war has three sides. One side is Mali, who are supported by many other countries. Another, many of whom are Tuareg people, are separatists who want northern Mali - which they call Azawad - to become a separate country. Northern Mali is hot desert and is in the southern part of the Sahara. The third side is Islamist groups - including Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and al-Qaeda - who want Mali to be part of an Islamist caliphate.

The United Nations has reported many human rights violations, both by the forces close to the government, and by the different rebel groups. Allegedly, there have been amputations, floggings, and extrajudicial executions. A couple was stoned in 2012, for allegedly having an extramarital affair. Based on these reports, the International Criminal Court started investigations into war crimes and human rights abuses. According to the BBC, about 250,000 people have left because of the fighting. They are now refugees and internally displaced people. Another problem is that World Heritage Sites are threatened by the war. There are mosques built of mud, in Timbuktu, which are threatened. In September 2021, a contract was signed between the Malian state and a private Russian military company linked to the Russian military group Wagner. The document provides for the deployment of mercenaries in the country, in liaison with the Malian army, and the protection of senior figures. The French withdrew their forces entirely on August 15, 2022, ending their presence in the country.

 Related pages

List of ongoing armed conflicts

Category:2012
Category:2013 in Africa
Category:2014
Category:2015 in Africa
Category:2016 in Africa
Category:2017 in Africa
Category:2018
Category:2019 in Africa
Category:2020 in Africa
Category:2021 in Africa
Category:Civil wars involving Africa
Category:History of Mali
Category:Wars involving Belgium
Category:Wars involving Canada
Category:Wars involving China
Category:Wars involving France
Category:Wars involving Germany
Category:Wars involving India
Category:Wars involving Japan
Category:Wars involving Portugal
Category:Wars involving South Africa
Category:Wars involving Spain
Category:Wars involving the Netherlands
Category:Wars involving the United Kingdom
Category:Wars involving the United States
Category:Wars of independence
Category:2010s conflicts