Mali Suspends All MINUSMA Deployments to Country Amid Ivory Coast Arrests

Yesterday, the Mali government arrested 49 Ivory Coast soldiers who landed at Modibo Keita International Airport as part of the the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Mali authorities arrested them due to apparently not having notification of the arrival of the troops and discrepancies in their passports and testimonies. The government of Mali also claimed they intend to charge them as mercenaries who came to Mali to interfere in government operations. The government of the Ivory Coast has vehemently denied this, said their troops are there on a U.N. mandate and demanded their release.