<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">UN mission in Mali officially ended a 10-year deployment in the country on Monday, its spokesperson said, in a pull-out ordered by Mali’s military leaders.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The mission, known as MINUSMA, lowered the United Nations flag on its headquarters in the capital Bamako, its spokesperson Fatoumata Kaba said.</div><div><br></div><div>The symbolic ceremony marks the official end of the mission, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>A “liquidation phase” will take place after January 1, involving activities such as handing over the remaining equipment to the authorities.</div><div><br></div><div>The withdrawal of the UN stabilization mission, known as MINUSMA, has ignited fears that fighting will intensify between troops and armed factions for territorial control.</div><div><br></div><div>MINUSMA had for the past decade maintained around 15,000 soldiers and police in Mali. About 180 members have been killed in hostile acts.</div><div><br></div><div>As of Friday, more than 10,500 uniformed and civilian MINUSMA personnel had left Mali, out of a total of around 13,800 staff at the start of the withdrawal, the UN mission said on X, formerly Twitter. According to AFP reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>