Mali’s junta takes friendly soldiers hostage
The incident places the UN peacekeeping mission in further doubt
When 49 ivorian soldiers landed at the airport in Bamako, Mali’s capital, on July 10th they did not expect trouble. For several years hundreds of Ivorians have patrolled their northern neighbour as un peacekeepers. Yet the Malian junta, in charge after coups in 2020 and 2021, arrested the soldiers and called them mercenaries with a “dark purpose”. Ivory Coast said the soldiers were fulfilling a long-standing un security contract—and demanded their release. More than two months later 46 of them are still detained.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Hostages to fortune”
From the September 24th 2022 edition
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