United Nations forces patrol the streets of Timbuktu, Mali, on Sept 26, 2021. (PHOTO / AP)

UNITED NATIONS - The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali has completed its withdrawal from the country's central regions, said the press office of the UN Secretariat.

The mission, known by its French acronym MINUSMA, closed its camp in Sevare in Mopti region on Friday, marking the end of its presence in central Mali, it said.

By the end of the year, the remaining MINUSMA personnel will leave Mali, except those required for the liquidation of the mission

The closure of the Sevare camp, which followed the closure of the Ogossagou and Douentza bases, is part of the second phase of the mission's drawdown.

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Together with Malian institutions and civil groups, MINUSMA has facilitated the conclusion of several local peace agreements, and funded numerous local projects in education, health, food security, and access to water.

By the end of the year, the remaining MINUSMA personnel will leave Mali, except those required for the liquidation of the mission.

The military government in Mali, established after the May 2021 coup, requested MINUSMA to withdraw, saying it was ineffective in stopping raids by jihadists, particularly in the country's north.

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The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in June, authorizing the withdrawal by Dec 31, 2023. The liquidation of MINUSMA will begin on Jan 1, 2024.