The international intervention in Mali: “Desert blues” or a new beginning?

Abstract

Islamist rebels have retreated from northern Mali; however, a number of challenges for that country remain. The Islamists have gone into hiding but have not surrendered; there is a clear risk of long-term asymmetric warfare. The populations in both northern and southern Mali are divided in their views on the best way forward. The capacities of the Malian government and the Malian armed forces to contain the conflict and retain credible leadership are questionable. This article analyses the Malian crisis with an emphasis on the strategies of key actors, including the Islamist rebels. The consequences of and responses to the conflict are discussed, before the article ends with some tentative conclusions concerning the potential for security in Mali and the Sahel region.