Mali Cancels Independence Day Celebrations, Considers Reservist Mobilization Amid Tension.
By Caroline Ameh
In light of increasing tension in northern Mali, the ruling junta, led by Assimi Goita, has decided to cancel the upcoming festivities to commemorate the anniversary of Mali’s independence scheduled for September 22. The council of ministers released a statement announcing that the anniversary would now be observed with “sobriety and in the spirit of national revival.”
Initially, there were plans for grand celebrations, but Goita redirected the funds designated for the anniversary towards assisting the victims and their families affected by recent attacks.
Mali, once a French colony, has been grappling with turmoil since 2012 due to separatist and Salafist insurrections in the north. This week, predominantly Tuareg armed groups have resumed hostilities, putting pressure on the already stretched Malian Army and challenging the junta’s claims of improved security.
On Tuesday, separatist groups launched an offensive against army positions in Bourem, a garrison town, leading to conflicting reports of events and numerous casualties on both sides.
Simultaneously, a series of attacks attributed mainly to the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist alliance Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) have occurred. These attacks have claimed the lives of several soldiers, including incidents in Bamba on September 7 and Gao on September 8. A recent attack on a passenger boat on the Niger River, believed to be the work of jihadists, resulted in the tragic deaths of numerous civilians.
Assimi Goita expressed his deep sorrow over these losses and condemned the “savage and barbaric” attack on the boat, as well as the assaults in Bamba, Gao, and Bourem.
In response to the escalating situation, the council of ministers discussed the possibility of mobilizing reservists and adopted a draft decree outlining the conditions and criteria for their mobilization. Reservists are intended to provide crucial support during crises, natural disasters, or war.
The junta had previously expelled France’s anti-jihadist force in 2022 and the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA in 2023, amid suspicions of collaboration with the Russian paramilitary company Wagner, despite official denials. The gradual withdrawal of MINUSMA by the end of the year has contributed to increased tensions in the north, as control over camps and bases is disputed between the peacekeepers and separatist groups.
Tensions are expected to escalate further when MINUSMA leaves its camp in Kidal, a Tuareg stronghold, with Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga vowing to regain control of various bases.
