Mali's interim military authorities request UN peacekeeping force to leave the country

Mali's interim military authorities have requested that the United Nations peacekeeping force, known as MINUSMA, leave the country "without delay" due to a "crisis of confidence" between Malian authorities and the UN mission. The request marks a significant turning point for the West African country, which has struggled to contain an Islamist insurgency that began in 2012. MINUSMA was deployed by the UN Security Council in 2013 to support foreign and local efforts to restore stability. The ruling junta has been increasingly at odds with MINUSMA and other international allies, including France, and has turned to Russia for military support.