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Mali: Civilians suffering effects of recent fighting in Kidal
GENEVA – People in Kidal and those who had to flee the city to escape clashes between the Malian armed forces and armed groups are facing a number of serious problems. The ICRC and the Mali Red Cross are striving to help them.
Kidal’s water supply was suddenly cut off after the generators that had been running well pumps were damaged. In addition, thousands of people who found refuge in the city of Gao, about 350 kilometres south of Kidal, now find themselves in desperate straits.
“Restoring the water supply in Kidal is one of our priorities,” said Christoph Luedi, head of the ICRC delegation in Mali. “The situation of displaced people has been made worse by the circumstances in which they were forced to leave their homes. Most had to flee quickly, leaving everything behind, and now it’s hard for them to meet their basic needs.”
Restoring the flow of water to Kidal
“To make safe drinking water available again to people in Kidal, our staff restored to working order the five generators that had broken down,” said Abdoule-Karim Diomande, in charge of the ICRC’s water and habitat programme in Mali. “This will make it possible to resume pumping water from wells that supply around 300,000 litres every day.”
Providing emergency aid for displaced people
To respond to the most urgent needs of the people who fled Kidal for Gao, the Mali Red Cross and the ICRC distributed more than 55 tonnes of food to around 4,450 people, some 1,800 of whom were also given tarpaulins, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, sleeping mats, blankets, kitchen utensils, buckets, clothing and hygiene items.
“We’re providing what is most urgently needed,” said Jules Amoti, who coordinates the ICRC’s economic security activities in Mali. “We’re also preparing a similar distribution for more than 5,000 residents of Kidal.”
Treating casualties in Gao Regional Hospital
A total of 69 casualties have so far been treated by an ICRC medical team working in Gao Regional Hospital. Eleven of the patients are still hospitalized and receiving surgical treatment.
“Most of the patients are victims of gunshot injuries requiring surgery,” said Kathrine Zimmermann, in charge of the ICRC’s health-care activities in Mali. “To boost our set-up in Gao, four tonnes of medical supplies will arrive within the next few days. A surgeon and a nurse will also be coming.”
Visiting people detained in connection with the fighting
On 22 and 23 May, ICRC delegates visited people arrested in connection with recent clashes and detained in Kidal by the High Council for the Unity of Azawad or by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad. Emergency relief items were distributed, and arrangements were made for detainees who had not yet been able to contact their families to call them by telephone.
Visits of this kind, which the ICRC hopes to be able to repeat in the coming days, aim to ensure that the people are held and treated humanely.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have disclosed details of their recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu, explaining that the engagement focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The clarification came amid speculation surrounding the meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after leaders of several opposition parties attended an Iftar dinner hosted by the president earlier in the week.
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Speaking during a gathering hosted in Abuja by the SDP’s former presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo on Friday, the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, said the meeting with Tinubu followed an official invitation from the Presidency and lasted about an hour.
According to Gombe, the discussion centred on the need to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral laws and restore public confidence in the country’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.
He explained that the meeting provided an opportunity for party leaders to remind the president of the importance of conducting transparent, free, and credible elections.
Gombe noted that democracy can only thrive when governments listen to the concerns of citizens and ensure electoral processes that guarantee fairness and accountability.
The SDP chairman also expressed concern over growing voter apathy, pointing to the low turnout recorded in the recent Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the Abuja Municipal Area Council election witnessed only about seven per cent voter turnout, which he described as a clear sign that many Nigerians are losing confidence in the electoral system.
Gombe urged the government and members of the National Assembly to take urgent steps to review electoral laws and rebuild public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, said political parties used the meeting to raise concerns about aspects of proposed electoral reforms, particularly issues related to indirect primaries and the mandatory electronic transmission of results.
Dantalle explained that the parties appealed to the president to use his influence to encourage legislative review where necessary, noting that reforms should strengthen, rather than complicate, the democratic process.
He expressed optimism that Tinubu would consider the concerns raised and support necessary amendments that would improve the electoral system.
The IPAC chairman also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strictly adhere to electoral guidelines as preparations for the next election cycle begin.
Earlier in his remarks, Adebayo cautioned political actors against turning the 2027 general elections into a do-or-die contest, stressing that the primary goal of democracy should be the progress and stability of Nigeria rather than personal political victories.
He urged leaders across political parties to encourage citizens to actively participate in the democratic process and ensure that elections are conducted peacefully and transparently.
President Bola Tinubu and Mr. Taiwo Oyedele during his nomination on Wednesday.
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