United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation au Mali, MINUSMA ) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali. MINUSMA was established on 25 April 2013 by UN Security Council Resolution 2100 to stabilise the country after the Tuareg rebellion (2012). It was officially deployed on 1 July.

History
In 2012, Tuareg and other peoples in northern Mali's Azawad region started an insurgency in the north under the banner of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad. After some initial successes and complaints from the Malian Army that it was ill-equipped to fight the insurgents, who had benefited from an influx of heavy weaponry from the 2011 Libyan civil war as well as other sources, elements of the army staged a military coup d'état on 21 March 2012. Following the coup, the rebels made further advances to capture the three biggest cities in the north: Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal. Following economic sanctions and a blockade by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the country, a deal, brokered in Burkina Faso by President Blaise Compaoré under the auspices of ECOWAS, was signed that would see Amadou Sanogo cede power to Dioncounda Traoré to assume the presidency in an interim capacity until an election is held.

On 1 July 2013, 6,000 of a future total of 12,600 UN peacekeeping troops officially took over responsibility for patrolling the country's north from France and the ECOWAS' International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA). The group is expected to play a role in the 2013 Malian presidential election. The force is the third largest UN peacekeeping force in operation in the world.

Organisation
Its headquarters are in the Malian capital, Bamako. Military intelligence will be evaluated by ASIFU (All Sources Information Fusion Unit).

Leadership
The force is led by former second-in-command of the African Union Mission in Sudan, Rwandan General Jean Bosco Kazura.

Contributing soldiers
Norway has four military officers in MINUSMA, as of September 2013 (to be joined by 15 soldiers during the autumn). There are also Liberian and Chadian soldiers. In October 2013, a suicide bomber attacked the Chadian soldiers resulting in two dead soldiers.