In Kidal, northern Mali, signatory armed groups of the peace agreement again clashed last week, compromising an umpteenth return of the administration in the region. In Bamako, the government is at work to establish a ceasefire.
The talks have already lasted several days in Bamako, but without “satisfactory results” at the moment.
The former rebels of the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), meanwhile, are ready to sign a ceasefire. “We have already agreed with the government side, and it was expected that we will just put our signatures, but the Platform has retracted itself by trying to renegotiate the same points”, said Mohamed Ould Mahmoud, a spokesman for the CMA.
The Platform admits that there was almost a compromise but believes that it still has reservations on certain points where it needs guarantees. “We are insisting in particular on the so-called freezing of positions and the mobility of the two movements”, explains Fahad Ag Almahamoud, Secretary General of the Gatia reached by Sahelien.com On 28 June, he continues, Minusma and Barkhane came to tell us to stay on our positions and that it is forbidden to go to those of the CMA and vice versa, but each time the CMA troops attack our positions. We know from experience that the international community is more demanding towards us than towards the CMA”.
While talks must resume on Thursday in the Malian capital with the Platform, the Malian authorities fear a renewed resurgence of violence.
Sahelien.com