Mali demands immediate withdrawal of UN peacekeeping mission.

Mali's interim military authorities have asked the United Nations peacekeeping force, MINUSMA, to leave "without delay" due to a "crisis of confidence" between Malian authorities and the U.N. mission. The request marks a major turning point for the West African country, which has struggled to stem an Islamist insurgency that took root following an uprising in 2012. MINUSMA was deployed by the U.N. Security Council in 2013 to support foreign and local efforts to restore stability. The junta has burnt bridges with traditional Western allies and turned to Russia for help boosting its military capabilities.