BAMAKO, Mali: Mauritania’s Defence Minister, Hanena Ould Sidi, traveled to Mali on Saturday for discussions with junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita, in a bid to resolve a dispute over cross-border violence, confirmed by both parties.
Approximately two weeks prior, Mauritania accused Mali and Russia’s Wagner mercenary group of pursuing armed individuals into Mauritanian territory, resulting in civilian casualties within Mauritanian camps along the border. This incident prompted Bamako to dispatch a high-level delegation to Nouakchott to ease escalating tensions.
“A number of our civilian compatriots were killed by the Malian army and Wagner group fighters in Mauritanian border camps. We provided evidence to Bamako,” revealed a Mauritanian security source to AFP.
On Friday, Mauritania summoned the Malian ambassador to lodge a formal protest against “repeated attacks on innocent and defenseless civilians,” as highlighted in a statement by the Mauritanian foreign ministry. The statement underscored that despite Mauritania’s warnings, the “unacceptable situation” persisted.
The subsequent day, Colonel Assimi Goita received Minister Ould Sidi, who carried a message from the Mauritanian president, according to a Bamako press release.
Mali has been under junta rule since a 2020 coup that ousted civilian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The country continues to grapple with escalating jihadist violence across the Sahel region, alongside renewed hostilities from armed separatist groups in the north.
The junta’s strategic shift towards Russia led to the expulsion of France’s anti-jihadist force in 2022 and the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA in 2023.
Despite being classified by the UN as one of the world’s least developed nations, Mauritania has faced waves of jihadist violence. However, following a security crackdown, it has remained free from attacks since 2011.
During Saturday’s discussions, Minister Ould Sidi emphasized the “fraternal and historic relations” between the neighboring countries, stressing the importance of preserving and strengthening these ties.
