A senior United Nations official has stated that the Malian government is hesitant over the deployment of a UN peacekeeping Mission to help fight the Islamist insegencies in Mali.
The Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson who revealed this to reporters also added that although the Malian government seems not to be interested in the UN peacekeeping Mission, many countries support the idea and are willing to contribute.
“We do not have a clear green light from the government of Mali yet for a peacekeeping operation, but many countries are ready to contribute towards the peacekeeping mission’’, Mr. Eliason said.
Series of reports emerged last week that France wants to withdraw its force who are currently battling Islamist Militantas in the fragile northen Malian cities.
France was reportedly to have requested formally before the United Nations to take over the mission as France wants a withdrawal as soon as possible.
But it is unclear why the Malian government seems to be interested in the UN peacekeeping plan when there is still fighting going on in the north despite the gains of the French-led force together with troops from the African Union.
On Sunday, there were reports of intense fighting in the city of Goa which lasted for close to 2 hours and follwed by two suicide attacks on Monday afternoon.
The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa MUJAO siad it is behind the series of attacks in Gao and has vowed to continue to carry on more attacks in the city.
On Saturday, Mujao spokesman Abou Walid Sahraoui said: “We are dedicating ourselves to carrying out more attacks against France and its allies.”
Local reporters said that the city main market remained close as people fear that they will be more attacks due to the threats by MUJAO.
But Mr. Eliasson said UN peacekeepers would only be deployed after the combat phase of the operation was over.
Despite Mali’s hesitation, he said he thought the trend is very much in the direction that we should move into that [peacekeeping] phase.
Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News
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