Mali’s military rulers have announced the cancellation of the 2015 Algiers Accord with separatist rebels, citing the failure of other signatories to uphold their commitments and interference from Algeria, the chief mediator. The cancellation comes after months of fighting in the West African nation.
The Algiers Accord was a peace deal aimed at restoring peace to Mali and was signed between the government of Mali and armed groups primarily representing the Tuareg ethnic group.
The decision to cancel the accord was met with little surprise from the rebel alliance group CMA, who accused the military government of intending to terminate the agreement by bringing in the Wagner Group, attacking their positions, and chasing out the UN peacekeeping group.
The Algiers Accord began to unravel in August as fighting between separatists and government troops intensified, coinciding with the gradual withdrawal of the UN peace mission that had been in place for 10 years.
Since seizing power in 2020, Mali’s military leaders have also severed ties with France and sought closer relations with Russia and the private army Wagner Group. The country has been plagued by violence since 2012 when Islamist armed groups took advantage of a Tuareg uprising fueled by allegations of government neglect and calls for greater autonomy.