United Nations, Jun 30 (AP) The UN Security Council voted unanimously Friday to immediately end a peacekeeping operation in Mali as demanded by the country's military junta.

Mali, which has grappled with an Islamic insurgency for over a decade, has seen its relations with the international community become strained in part because the current ruling junta has brought in mercenaries from Russia's Wagner Group. The Wagner mercenaries also have been engaged in Moscow's war in Ukraine and were part of a short-lived mutiny against Russia's military last week.

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The resolution adopted Friday terminates the mandate of the peacekeeping mission known as MINUSMA as of Friday and orders it to start the cessation of operations on Saturday, including transferring some tasks and withdrawing its more than 15,000 personnel “with the objective of completing this process by Dec. 31, 2023.”

Mali has struggled to contain an Islamic extremist insurgency since 2012. Extremist rebels were forced from power in the West African nation's northern cities the following year, with the help of a French-led military operation. But they regrouped in the desert and began launching attacks on the Malian army and its allies.

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The U.N. peacekeepers came in a few months later in what has become one of the most dangerous U.N. missions in the world. At least 170 peacekeepers have been killed in the country since 2013, according to the U.N.

The council's action followed a demand by Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop to the Security Council on June 16 that MINUSMA leave the country.

Diop claimed that the peacekeepers had failed in their mission and was sowing distrust among the people.

The United Nations needs support of governments for its peacekeeping missions to operate.

Mali has been ruled by a military junta following two coups, starting in 2020, led by Col. Assimi Goita, who now runs the country. (AP)

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