Malian refugees in Mauritania: a fragile hope for return amidst fears of renewed displacement

Mosso*, a Malian refugee currently residing in Mauritania, expressed a cautious optimism for returning home, stating, “If the Russian mercenaries leave, we will go back.” This sentiment follows significant attacks in late April targeting the Malian army and its Africa Corps allies. These coordinated assaults, orchestrated by the Front de libération de l’Azawad (FLA) separatists and the Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans (Jnim), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, delivered an unprecedented blow to Mali’s ruling junta, which seized power in a 2020 coup. The attacks notably resulted in the death of the Defense Minister.

In Fassala, a Mauritanian locality near the Malian border, the actions of Russian paramilitaries have left a painful imprint on many refugees. They still refer to them as “Wagner,” the name of the private Russian military company—now known as Africa Corps—that has been supporting the Malian army in its anti-jihadist efforts since French forces withdrew.

goïta brought Wagner here

Under a makeshift tent, seeking refuge from the Sahelian desert’s intense heat, Mosso* voiced his hope for the “fall of Assimi Goïta,” the leader of the Malian junta, asserting, “He is the one who brought Wagner to our land.” This 57-year-old nomadic Tuareg herder, with a long white beard, fled the Mopti region in central Mali just three weeks ago after white men, whom he identified as Russian paramilitaries, arrived at his encampment and abducted several individuals. He recounted that his own brother was killed by Russians a year ago, witnessed by his then 14-year-old son.

In Mali, numerous civilians, often accused of collaborating with opposing factions, frequently suffer reprisals and abuses from the army and its Russian auxiliaries, or from jihadist groups. On April 20, three civil society organizations, including the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), filed a complaint with the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) regarding alleged violations committed in Mali, implicating both the Malian armed forces and the Wagner group.

Footage of a Russian convoy departing Kidal, a pivotal northern Malian city that fell under Tuareg rebel control in late April, sparked cautious optimism among many Malian refugees that the paramilitaries might soon leave their country. Like Mosso, approximately 300,000 Malians have sought sanctuary in Mauritania’s Hodh Chargui region since the conflict began in 2012.

the fla-jnim alliance under scrutiny

About fifty kilometers from the border, the Mbera camp currently hosts 120,000 refugees who have escaped violence perpetrated by all parties involved in the conflict: jihadists, the Malian army, Russian mercenaries, and various community groups. Within the camp’s sandy pathways, Ahmed*, 35, expressed his desire for “peace to return and to go back to my country.” He, too, articulated a wish for the downfall of the ruling military, whom he blames for “bringing all the problems to the country.” “Everyone came here because of Wagner,” stated the Tuareg man, who sought to escape the “amalgamation” perpetrated by the Malian army and its Russian auxiliaries.

With a kind gaze and skin weathered by the sun, Abdallah*, a 77-year-old Tuareg refugee, did not express joy over the recent rebel offensive. “I am far from pleased that the FLA retook Kidal,” he murmured. In his view, the alliance between the FLA and the jihadists is a mistake: “For me, Jnim is a terrorist movement. Their objectives do not align at all with our ideology as moderate, peaceful Muslims.”

Blockades enforced by Jnim jihadists in Malian localities since last October have triggered a fresh wave of Malian refugees into the region, nearly 14,000 individuals, predominantly women and children, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

fears of a new refugee influx

Recent hostilities in Mali have raised concerns among humanitarian organizations about a potential new surge of refugees into this desert region, where resource access is already strained. “We are monitoring the situation’s evolution with keen attention and deep concern,” stated Omar Doukali, UNHCR spokesperson in Mauritania.

In a Sahel increasingly recognized as a global epicenter of jihadist violence, Mauritania, a vast desert nation of 5.5 million inhabitants, stands out for its notable stability. However, the presence of over 300,000 Malian refugees creates tensions “over grazing lands, water resources, and all basic services, including health,” observed Cheikhna Ould Abdallahi, Mayor of Fassala. His commune hosts 70,000 refugees, and he expressed worry about the escalating conflict in neighboring Mali.

The situation there remains more uncertain than ever. The FLA has declared its intention to seize major cities in northern Mali and predicted the downfall of the ruling junta in the face of its offensive. Holding her one-year-old daughter, Tilleli*, 22, recounted fleeing Mali a month ago after Russians and the army looted and burned her village in the Mopti region (central Mali). “I can only return home after Wagner leaves my country,” she asserted. “I don’t have hope that peace will come anytime soon,” the young mother sighed.