Supporters of armed extremist groups have placed the city of Timbuktu, situated in the northern region of central Mali, under siege. The information was relayed by Al Arabiya, citing local sources.
According to these sources, the militants have effectively blocked all routes leading to the city. The precise affiliation of these radicals remains unknown.
Earlier on August 16, French radio RFI alleged that the city was encircled by militants belonging to the Islamist group Jnim, which is linked to the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia). Local authorities have refrained from providing official comments on this situation. In response to the crisis, several families have decided to leave the city.
Mali has been grappling with a political crisis marked by two military coups since the summer of 2020. In mid-June, Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop disclosed that the country's government had formally requested the immediate withdrawal of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), which consists of over 15,000 peacekeepers. The request came due to perceived shortcomings in the peacekeeping mission's ability to ensure the nation's security. Established in 2013 through a UN Security Council resolution, MINUSMA was intended to aid the Malian authorities in enhancing security within the republic.
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Based on materials from TASS