MINUSMA Continues to Hold Mali Together : Final Analysis - Back Pages

The first months of 2016 have seen renewed attacks on UN peacekeepers in Mali, notably a suicide bombing and mortar barrage on a base at Kidal that left 7 Guinean peacekeepers dead, and another 30 injured. Such attacks amidst renewed aggression by Islamist militants in northern and central Mali, illustrate the tenuous security situation in that country. The attacks on the peacekeepers signal the continued strategic desire of the militants to pick away at the cornerstone of stabilising efforts in the country, led by the UN multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Growing casualty lists and building political pressure could result in a possible reduction in mission scope, or an accelerated timetable for the conclusion of the mission. The question