Under immense pressure to “pack and go,” the UN forces in Mali have hastily withdrawn from the country.

Report: The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali has sped up its withdrawal from the city of Ber in the north after a surge in fighting. The UN mission, known as MINUSMA, said in a statement on Sunday that “deteriorating security” had made its departure urgent.

• AJ SO, according to MINUSMA, the UN forces withdrawal was brought forward (made to happen way earlier than initially scheduled) because security suddenly deteriorated in the Ber region where they were stationed, and that put their Blue Helmets (UN soldiers) in danger. That’s what they claim to be the reason they had to leave early and hastily. Also, Al Jazeera reports that in recent days, the Tuareg-led northern rebel alliance called the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), accused Malian forces and Russian Wagner Group troops of violating a ceasefire by attacking its forces near Ber.

Of course, the Malian government has a different account of what happened, saying the terrorists have suddenly gained steam and are attacking their forces, so Wagner and their army had to face them. Let’s unpack. So, the new Malian administration came to power and after canceling the infamous “pact for the continuation of colonization” which colonial France forced its colonies in AFRICA to sign, they immediately asked French soldiers to leave. After that, they looked at the UN forces and realized they and the French soldiers were the same, so they ended the UN forces’ nearly ten-year mission in their country and asked them to “leave immediately!”

UN mission claimed they were there to assist France in eliminating rebel groups that have made life a living hell in the Sahel country. The military administration in Mali doesn’t think so. The Malian population didn’t share that sentiment at all. Malians claim instead that the presence of these foreign forces has made things worse, even accusing French soldiers of aiding, abetting, and arming terrorists and the UN of providing cover for terrorists. UN and French soldiers deny these allegations.

When the Malian authorities eventually asked the UN to join their French buddies in packing up and leaving the country, it was a hard pill to swallow for the UN. But they had to comply immediately. Malians celebrated this and China welcomed it, saying the West should learn to empower African countries to deal with terrorism and not send their forces on African soil to fight terrorism.

But reacting to the development, the US envoy to the UN lashed out at Wagner and Russia saying the UN mission was there to protect Malians from Al Qaeda and Wagner terrorists who terrorized the people and that it was unfortunate Mali was asking them out. France and pretty much all of the West fumed at the development. Meanwhile, Macron has praised the French Ambassador in Niger who refused to leave the country after he was asked to leave.

The so-called Ambassador is practically under house arrest but he refuses to leave and Macron calls that “heroic” saying France doesn’t recognize the Tchiani – led regime in Niger. Many wonder what the difference is between Mali and Niger that the French agreed to leave in Mali and Burkina Faso under similar circumstances, but now refuse to leave in Niger.