Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Armed Groups Besiege Mali Towns

A severe humanitarian crisis is unfolding in northeastern Mali, where armed groups linked to Islamic State have surrounded key towns, leaving 80,000 children vulnerable to malnutrition and disease. The town of Ménaka has been under siege for four months, causing food prices to skyrocket and vital goods like medication to become scarce.

Why this matters: The crisis in Mali has far-reaching implications for regional stability and global security, as it fuels extremist groups and creates a breeding ground for terrorism. If left unaddressed, the humanitarian crisis could lead to a massive influx of refugees and internally displaced persons, putting a strain on neighboring countries and the international community.

The situation in Ménaka is catastrophic, with displaced people going from house to house asking for food for their families. "Children are threatened with starvation,"said Wani Ould Hamadi, deputy mayor of Ménaka. Over 140,000 people, including more than 80,000 children, are trapped in the town as a result of the blockade, which has led to critically low levels of supplies.

Nearly a third of the children in Ménaka, around 33,600, have already fled fighting in other parts of Mali and are staying in temporary shelters. Safiatou, a 55-year-old caregiver to six unaccompanied children, described the dire conditions: "We came to Menaka after fleeing four months of terror in our village. We have no business or income – we lost everything. It's the little helpers that keep us going. Some households are struggling just to have one meal a day. Our children are suffering from this chaotic situation, and we do not have what we need to provide for them."

Save the Children warns that unless the blockade is lifted,"starvation and disease will lead to deaths. "Siaka Ouattara, the country director, stated,"Children in Menaka are trapped in a living nightmare. Let us be clear: unless the blockade is lifted, starvation and disease will lead to deaths. The organization has carried out a rapid multi-sectoral assessment in Ménaka and hopes to deliver aid to those in need once the blockade ends.

The siege of Ménaka follows a similar blockade of the historic city of Timbuktu, which started in August 2023 and remains in place, although some aid is now getting through. Over 136,000 people, including nearly 74,000 children, are trapped in Timbuktu as a result of the ongoing siege. According to the Cadre Harmonisé 2024, over 40,000 people in Ménaka are already facing emergency levels of hunger, and more than 800 people are in catastrophic levels of food insecurity resulting from rising violence and climate change.

The situation is projected to deteriorate further in June, with over 49,000 people expected to be in the catastrophe phase of food insecurity, needing immediate support to meet their basic needs. Even before the siege began, 19% of children in Ménaka were experiencing either moderate acute malnutrition or severe acute malnutrition.

Mali, along with its neighbors Burkina Faso and Niger, has been battling an insurgency fought by armed groups, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, for over a decade. Following military coups in all three nations, the ruling juntas have expelled French forces and turned to Russia's mercenary units for security assistance. However, the United Nations and other analysts say the government has rapidly lost ground.

Armed groups have long been a tactic used by jihadist groups to punish communities for their perceived support of the government and have often succeeded in pressuring communities to sign non-aggression accords with the groups. Mali's leader, Col. Assimi Goita, has promised to return the country to democracy in early 2024, but in September, the junta canceled elections scheduled for February 2024 indefinitely, citing the need for further technical preparations.

The humanitarian crisis in northeastern Mali worsens, Save the Children is calling on all actors to allow unfettered humanitarian access to populations in Ménaka who are in dire need of assistance. The international community must also pressure the ruling junta to lift the blockades and ensure the safety and well-being ofcivilianscaught in the conflict. "Let us be clear: unless the blockade is lifted, starvation and disease will lead to deaths,"Ouattara reiterated, underscoring the

Key Takeaways

• 80,000 children in northeastern Mali are vulnerable to malnutrition and disease due to armed group blockades.
• Ménaka has been under siege for 4 months, causing food prices to skyrocket and vital goods to become scarce.
• Over 140,000 people, including 80,000 children, are trapped in Ménaka with critically low supplies.
• Save the Children warns that unless the blockade is lifted, starvation and disease will lead to deaths.
• The crisis has far-reaching implications for regional stability and global security, fueling extremist groups and terrorism.