GENEVA, Switzerland, March 1 (UPI) -- Malians need to work on reconciliation efforts as part of a recovery process from internal strife, a U.N. official said from Geneva.
The Malian government in January called for support from former colonial power France against militant forces. Control over northern Mali was lost to Tuareg rebels and supporters of al-Qaida following in early 2012.
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Adrian Edwards said that, with French and Malian forces taking key northern cities, Malians needed to work on post-conflict resolutions.
"UNHCR believes that reconciliation efforts are urgently needed, together with efforts to combat impunity, to encourage peaceful coexistence between communities," he said through his spokesman.
The UNHCR estimates that 430,000 people have been displaced in Mali since conflict began. U.S. and British forces have provided logistical support to the French operation. The U.S. State Department this week said it's working to address further needs through financial support.
Edwards, however, said parts of north Mali might not be safe for returning refugees.
"Continued fighting, suicide attacks, reprisal attacks against some communities, the presence of mines and unexploded ordinance in the regions of Mopti, Gao and Timbuktu, are all cited as reasons to delay returning," he said.
