Another 1,100 Refugees Cross into Mauritania from Mali Amid Ongoing Insecurity

Nouakchott: More than 1,100 people fleeing insecurity in Mali have crossed into Mauritania this week, the UN refugee agency reported Friday, indicating challenging conditions for the newcomers.According to Nam News Network, the UNHCR stated that 7,310 refugees have now fled to Mauritania in the two months since a jihadist blockade disrupted daily life in Mali's capital Bamako and other regions. Mali has experienced several blockades recently, executed by jihadists from the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). This group has been involved in violent acts since 2012, contributing to Mali's ongoing state of insecurity, further exacerbated by criminal gang activities.Civilians are frequently targeted in retribution by the army, its Russian allies, or by jihadists, with each side accusing them of collaborating with the enemy. Since late October, there has been a continuous influx of refugees into Mauritania from Mali, where the security situation remains highly unstable, as report ed by the UNHCR.The agency recorded 188 families entering Mauritania this week and 1,161 families since October 24, though it noted that the actual numbers might be higher. Most of the newcomers are women and children, with an increasing number of elderly people among the refugees.