Learning from United Nations Multidimensional Stabilization Mission in Mali's entanglement in counterterrorism

As the UN and others reflect on the legacy of the recently closed UN Multidimensional Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), this short article discusses one of the more controversial aspects of MINUSMA’s deployment. Namely, the mission’s direct and indirect involvement with efforts to counter terrorism in the Sahel. The article first outlines how MINUSMA navigated a complex operating environment in which other actors sought to defeat terrorism through the use of offensive force. Then the article suggests that in the future UN peace operations step away from providing support for counterterrorism activities.