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Showing posts with label Mali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mali. Show all posts

UN peacekeeper killed in Mali roadside bomb

UN peacekeeper killed in Mali roadside bomb

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AFP: A UN peacekeeper was killed in northern Mali and another seriously wounded after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb on Thursday, the UN mission said.

The blast occurred some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of the northern city of Kidal, in the latest violence to hit the conflict-ridden Sahel state.

A teacher in the nearby town of Anefis told AFP that an Egyptian contingent of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali had been protecting a supply convoy when it hit the landmine.

Mali has been struggling to contain a jihadist insurgency that first emerged in the north in 2012, and has since spread to the centre of the country and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.


Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed in the conflict to date, and hundreds of thousands have had to flee their homes.

The United Nations has some 13,000 troops deployed in Mali as part of its peacekeeping mission -- known as Minusma.

Over 220 UN peacekeepers have lost their lives in Mali since first deploying in 2013.

Minusma head Mahamat Saleh Annadif condemned Thursday's attack, saying in a statement that the peacekeepers "will not be intimidated".

"I recall that attacks against UN peacekeepers can constitute war crimes under international law," he said.


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AFP: A UN peacekeeper was killed in northern Mali and another seriously wounded after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb on Thursday, the UN mission said.

The blast occurred some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of the northern city of Kidal, in the latest violence to hit the conflict-ridden Sahel state.

A teacher in the nearby town of Anefis told AFP that an Egyptian contingent of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali had been protecting a supply convoy when it hit the landmine.

Mali has been struggling to contain a jihadist insurgency that first emerged in the north in 2012, and has since spread to the centre of the country and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.


Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed in the conflict to date, and hundreds of thousands have had to flee their homes.

The United Nations has some 13,000 troops deployed in Mali as part of its peacekeeping mission -- known as Minusma.

Over 220 UN peacekeepers have lost their lives in Mali since first deploying in 2013.

Minusma head Mahamat Saleh Annadif condemned Thursday's attack, saying in a statement that the peacekeepers "will not be intimidated".

"I recall that attacks against UN peacekeepers can constitute war crimes under international law," he said.


African Union lifts post-coup suspension of Mali

African Union lifts post-coup suspension of Mali





The African Union on Friday lifted its suspension of Mali which went into effect after a military coup toppled the West African nation's government in August.

The decision comes three days after the West African regional bloc ECOWAS announced it was ending its tough post-coup sanctions on Mali, saying it wished to back the country's return to civilian rule.



The sanctions included border closures and a ban on commercial trade and financial flows but not basic necessities, drugs, equipment to fight coronavirus, fuel or electricity.

"The Peace and Security Council, in view of recent positive political developments, has decided to lift the suspension it had imposed against Mali," the AU's 15-member security body said in a post on Twitter.

The 55-nation AU quickly condemned the "unconstitutional change of government" after president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was forced out in August by mutineering soldiers following mass protests.

The coup was bloodless but triggered widespread alarm among Mali's neighbours.


A coup in 2012 was followed by an uprising in northern Mali which morphed into a bloody Islamist insurgency, claiming thousands of lives and threatening neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

This year's coup came after months of protests over the country's bloody jihadist insurgency, economic struggles and chronic inter-ethnic violence.

Under pressure from tough ECOWAS sanctions, Mali's junta endorsed a "charter" to restore civilian rule within 18 months and appointed a committee which chose 70-year-old retired colonel Bah Ndaw as interim president.


On Monday Ndaw appointed a government, headed by former foreign minister Moctar Ouane, in which junta members were given key positions.

Defence, security, territorial administration and national reconciliation went to colonels.


But civilians were also appointed, including former prosecutor Mohamed Sidda Dicko as justice minister and former ambassador Zeini Moulaye as foreign minister.


Former armed groups that signed a peace agreement in 2015 are also being represented in the transitional government while members of Tuareg groups that led a rebellion in the north were awarded portfolios.

Despite its concessions, the junta, which calls itself the National Council for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), has still not met all the ECOWAS demands.

The regional bloc on Tuesday reiterated its call for the CNSP's dissolution and for the release of civilian and military figures arrested during the coup.




AFP






The African Union on Friday lifted its suspension of Mali which went into effect after a military coup toppled the West African nation's government in August.

The decision comes three days after the West African regional bloc ECOWAS announced it was ending its tough post-coup sanctions on Mali, saying it wished to back the country's return to civilian rule.



The sanctions included border closures and a ban on commercial trade and financial flows but not basic necessities, drugs, equipment to fight coronavirus, fuel or electricity.

"The Peace and Security Council, in view of recent positive political developments, has decided to lift the suspension it had imposed against Mali," the AU's 15-member security body said in a post on Twitter.

The 55-nation AU quickly condemned the "unconstitutional change of government" after president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was forced out in August by mutineering soldiers following mass protests.

The coup was bloodless but triggered widespread alarm among Mali's neighbours.


A coup in 2012 was followed by an uprising in northern Mali which morphed into a bloody Islamist insurgency, claiming thousands of lives and threatening neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

This year's coup came after months of protests over the country's bloody jihadist insurgency, economic struggles and chronic inter-ethnic violence.

Under pressure from tough ECOWAS sanctions, Mali's junta endorsed a "charter" to restore civilian rule within 18 months and appointed a committee which chose 70-year-old retired colonel Bah Ndaw as interim president.


On Monday Ndaw appointed a government, headed by former foreign minister Moctar Ouane, in which junta members were given key positions.

Defence, security, territorial administration and national reconciliation went to colonels.


But civilians were also appointed, including former prosecutor Mohamed Sidda Dicko as justice minister and former ambassador Zeini Moulaye as foreign minister.


Former armed groups that signed a peace agreement in 2015 are also being represented in the transitional government while members of Tuareg groups that led a rebellion in the north were awarded portfolios.

Despite its concessions, the junta, which calls itself the National Council for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), has still not met all the ECOWAS demands.

The regional bloc on Tuesday reiterated its call for the CNSP's dissolution and for the release of civilian and military figures arrested during the coup.




AFP


Africa: Mali junta open talks with opposition leaders after coup

Africa: Mali junta open talks with opposition leaders after coup

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Mali’s junta headed by Army colonel Assimi Goita which seized power in a coup on Tuesday has begun to meet with senior opposition politicians in the country, Vanguard reported.

This comes amid global condemnation of the coup and mounting calls for the release of President Ibrahim Booubakar Keita and his prime minister Boubou Cisse.

There were few signs that political opposition leaders were aware of the coup plot in advance but now they stand to benefit from a transitional government promised to be put in place by the military junta 

“I think the hardest part starts now. It’s a question of bringing everyone together, as I’ve always said, there are no winners and losers, we’re all Malians, so for us, even those who were with IBK (ed: Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta), if they don’t have blood on their hands, if they’re not involved in embezzlement of public funds, Issa Kaou Djim, member of the M5-RFP Strategy Committee explained in an interview.

Observers fear the political upheaval will allow Islamic extremists in Mali to expand their reach once again. 

The intervention came amid months long political tension between the opposition and government. 

The coup is Mali’s second in eight years.

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Mali’s junta headed by Army colonel Assimi Goita which seized power in a coup on Tuesday has begun to meet with senior opposition politicians in the country, Vanguard reported.

This comes amid global condemnation of the coup and mounting calls for the release of President Ibrahim Booubakar Keita and his prime minister Boubou Cisse.

There were few signs that political opposition leaders were aware of the coup plot in advance but now they stand to benefit from a transitional government promised to be put in place by the military junta 

“I think the hardest part starts now. It’s a question of bringing everyone together, as I’ve always said, there are no winners and losers, we’re all Malians, so for us, even those who were with IBK (ed: Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta), if they don’t have blood on their hands, if they’re not involved in embezzlement of public funds, Issa Kaou Djim, member of the M5-RFP Strategy Committee explained in an interview.

Observers fear the political upheaval will allow Islamic extremists in Mali to expand their reach once again. 

The intervention came amid months long political tension between the opposition and government. 

The coup is Mali’s second in eight years.

UN representatives gains access to ousted Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, other leaders detained in this week's coup

UN representatives gains access to ousted Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, other leaders detained in this week's coup

 #BREAKING UN representatives have gained access to ousted Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and other leaders detained in this week's coup pic.twitter.com/gpSZsbVcYf


The United Nations said Friday it had gained access to Mali's ousted president while rebel soldiers announced the release of two other leaders held in a dramatic coup this week.

The gesture coincided with mounting international pressure on the junta and preparations for celebratory rallies in the capital Bamako following the latest putsch in the troubled West African country.

"Last night, a team from MINUSMA #HumanRights went to #Kati in the framework of its mandate to protect human rights and was able to gain access to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and other detainees," the UN peacekeeping mission said.

Rebel soldiers seized Keita and other leaders after staging a mutiny on Tuesday at Kati, a military base about 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Bamako.

A member of the junta, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it had authorised a UN human rights mission to visit all 19 prisoners in Kati, including Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse.

The source added that the junta had released former economy minister Abdoulaye Daffe and Sabane Mahalmoudou, Keita's private secretary.

"Two prisoners have been released. There are still 17 in Kati. This is the proof that we respect human rights," the junta member said.

The reported release came shortly before mass rallies, staged by a protest coalition that had been demanding Keita's resignation, to "celebrate the victory of the Malian people.

The rebel soldiers named their organisation the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, under the leadership of a 37-year-old colonel named Assimi Goita, and vowed to create a transitional council and stage elections "within a reasonable time".

The international community has joined African leaders in condemning the fragile Sahel state's latest putsch and demanded the detained leaders be freed.

Keita and Cisse are being held in a villa in Kati and are without a television, radio or phone, while the others are in a training centre, where they are sleeping on mattresses and watching television, according to witnesses to the visit.

The 75-year-old ousted president "looked tired but relaxed," they said, describing his conditions as "acceptable."

- 'Transition' pledge -


The coup -- the second in just eight years -- deals a body blow to a country struggling with a jihadist insurgency, moribund economy and deep public resentment over its government.

A putsch in 2012 was followed by an insurrection in the north of the country which developed into a jihadist insurgency that now threatens neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

Thousands of UN and French troops, along with soldiers from five Sahel countries, have been deployed to try to stem the bloodshed.

The junta's spokesman, Ismael Wague, said on Thursday that "a transitional council, with a transitional president who is going to be either military or civilian" would be appointed.

The transition "will be the shortest possible," he told France 24 television.

Those detained, according to various sources, include Defence Minister Ibrahima Dahirou Dembele, Security Minister M'Bemba Moussa Keita, the president of the National Assembly, Moussa Timbine, as well as the heads of the army and air force.


- 'Dangerous for democracy' -

Leaders of the 15-nation West African regional group ECOWAS on Thursday demanded Keita be restored as president and bluntly warned the junta that they bore "responsibility for the safety and security" of the detainees.

The leaders also announced they would dispatch a high-level delegation "to ensure the immediate return of constitutional order".

Other African leaders on Friday added to condemnation of the coup and reiterated demands for the detainees' release.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta urged a "speedy, peaceful and democratic" resolution of the crisis while DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi described the coup as "dangerous for democracy in Africa" and African countries should take a firm line, the African Union said.

Keita won election in a landslide in 2013, putting himself forward as a unifying figure in a fractured country, and was re-elected in 2018 for another five-year term.

But he failed to make headway against a jihadist revolt that has left swathes of the country in the hand of armed Islamists and ignited ethnic violence in the country's volatile centre.

Thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands have fled their their homes.

Anger swelled after the disputed outcome of legislative elections in April, leading to the creation of the anti-Keita protest coalition, the June 5 Movement.

sd-siu/ri/txw

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 #BREAKING UN representatives have gained access to ousted Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and other leaders detained in this week's coup pic.twitter.com/gpSZsbVcYf


The United Nations said Friday it had gained access to Mali's ousted president while rebel soldiers announced the release of two other leaders held in a dramatic coup this week.

The gesture coincided with mounting international pressure on the junta and preparations for celebratory rallies in the capital Bamako following the latest putsch in the troubled West African country.

"Last night, a team from MINUSMA #HumanRights went to #Kati in the framework of its mandate to protect human rights and was able to gain access to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and other detainees," the UN peacekeeping mission said.

Rebel soldiers seized Keita and other leaders after staging a mutiny on Tuesday at Kati, a military base about 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Bamako.

A member of the junta, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it had authorised a UN human rights mission to visit all 19 prisoners in Kati, including Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse.

The source added that the junta had released former economy minister Abdoulaye Daffe and Sabane Mahalmoudou, Keita's private secretary.

"Two prisoners have been released. There are still 17 in Kati. This is the proof that we respect human rights," the junta member said.

The reported release came shortly before mass rallies, staged by a protest coalition that had been demanding Keita's resignation, to "celebrate the victory of the Malian people.

The rebel soldiers named their organisation the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, under the leadership of a 37-year-old colonel named Assimi Goita, and vowed to create a transitional council and stage elections "within a reasonable time".

The international community has joined African leaders in condemning the fragile Sahel state's latest putsch and demanded the detained leaders be freed.

Keita and Cisse are being held in a villa in Kati and are without a television, radio or phone, while the others are in a training centre, where they are sleeping on mattresses and watching television, according to witnesses to the visit.

The 75-year-old ousted president "looked tired but relaxed," they said, describing his conditions as "acceptable."

- 'Transition' pledge -


The coup -- the second in just eight years -- deals a body blow to a country struggling with a jihadist insurgency, moribund economy and deep public resentment over its government.

A putsch in 2012 was followed by an insurrection in the north of the country which developed into a jihadist insurgency that now threatens neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

Thousands of UN and French troops, along with soldiers from five Sahel countries, have been deployed to try to stem the bloodshed.

The junta's spokesman, Ismael Wague, said on Thursday that "a transitional council, with a transitional president who is going to be either military or civilian" would be appointed.

The transition "will be the shortest possible," he told France 24 television.

Those detained, according to various sources, include Defence Minister Ibrahima Dahirou Dembele, Security Minister M'Bemba Moussa Keita, the president of the National Assembly, Moussa Timbine, as well as the heads of the army and air force.


- 'Dangerous for democracy' -

Leaders of the 15-nation West African regional group ECOWAS on Thursday demanded Keita be restored as president and bluntly warned the junta that they bore "responsibility for the safety and security" of the detainees.

The leaders also announced they would dispatch a high-level delegation "to ensure the immediate return of constitutional order".

Other African leaders on Friday added to condemnation of the coup and reiterated demands for the detainees' release.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta urged a "speedy, peaceful and democratic" resolution of the crisis while DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi described the coup as "dangerous for democracy in Africa" and African countries should take a firm line, the African Union said.

Keita won election in a landslide in 2013, putting himself forward as a unifying figure in a fractured country, and was re-elected in 2018 for another five-year term.

But he failed to make headway against a jihadist revolt that has left swathes of the country in the hand of armed Islamists and ignited ethnic violence in the country's volatile centre.

Thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands have fled their their homes.

Anger swelled after the disputed outcome of legislative elections in April, leading to the creation of the anti-Keita protest coalition, the June 5 Movement.

sd-siu/ri/txw

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Mali's opposition vows to work with coup leaders on political transition: statement

Mali's opposition vows to work with coup leaders on political transition: statement


AFP: Army colonel Assimi Goita on Wednesday introduced himself as Mali's new military strongman a day after a coup that was condemned by the international community but won support from the country's opposition.

The African Union, European Union, the United States and the UN Security Council have all demanded the junta free President Ibrahim Boubacar, Prime Minister Boubou Cisse and others taken captive in Tuesday's coup that followed months of protests.

In the Malian capital Bamako, Goita said after meeting top civil servants that he was the leader of the "National Committee for the Salvation of the People" that has seized power.

"Mali is in a situation of socio-political crisis. There is no more room for mistakes," Goita, surrounded by armed military men, told journalists.

His entourage told AFP that Goita, who is in his forties, had until now headed Mali's special forces based in the centre of the west African country, torn for the last five years by jihadist and sectarian violence.

Several military men told AFP on condition of anonymity that Goita was the true force behind the coup.

Fellow coup chiefs meanwhile called on the public to return to normal life, warned against acts of "vandalism" and threatened to punish any soldier found guilty of extortion.

The opposition coalition M5-RFP said in a statement that "it took note of the commitment" the junta has made to "open a civilian political transition" and would work with it on "developing a roadmap."

The coalition's Choguel Maiga told journalists "we will organise the biggest patriotic rally on Friday" in Bamako and nationwide in order to "celebrate the Malian people's victory".


- 'Unconstitutional change' -


The dramatic events in one of Africa's most volatile countries began early Tuesday, when rebel officers mutinied at a base near Bamako and headed into the city, where they detained Keita and Cisse.

Hours later, Keita -- beset by angry protests over economic stagnation, corruption and a brutal Islamist insurgency -- announced his resignation.

He said he had been given no other choice but to quit, and sought to avoid bloodshed.

Jubilant crowds had cheered the rebels on Tuesday as they arrived in the capital Bamako.

There were few visible traces of those events on Bamako's streets on Wednesday -- troops had not been deployed en masse despite the coup leaders announcing a night-time curfew.

The 55-nation AU blasted the "unconstitutional change of government" in Mali.

The bloc announced that it was suspending Mali -- a rare move that bars a member from attending all summits and meetings -- "until restoration of constitutional order."

It also called for the release of Keita and other officials, a demand also made forcefully by Brussels and Washington.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States "strongly condemns the August 18 mutiny in Mali as we would condemn any forcible seizure of power."

"The freedom and safety of detained government officials and their families must be ensured," he said.

The 15-nation West African bloc ECOWAS, which had tried in vain to mediate in the long-running political crisis, also said it would suspend Mali from its internal decision-making bodies.

It pledged to close land and air borders to Mali and push for sanctions against "all the putschists and their partners and collaborators".

ECOWAS said its leaders will meet on Thursday via video conference to discuss the coup.


- 'Take responsibility' -


The coup leaders had appeared on television overnight to pledge a political transition and new elections within a "reasonable time".

In a brief media appearance, junta spokesman and Air Force deputy chief of staff Ismael Wague called on Malians to "resume their activities in a healthy manner."

Civil servants were "invited" to return to work on Thursday, he said.

He added that no people had died during the coup, despite unconfirmed reports of several deaths.


- Anti-jihadist fight -


With Mali the cornerstone of French-led efforts to roll back jihadists in the Sahel, President Emmanuel Macron reiterated Wednesday his call to return to civilian rule.

"The fight against terrorist groups and the defence of democracy and the rule of law are inseparable," he tweeted.

Macron added that for French forces "to leave is to provoke instability and to weaken our fight. It is not acceptable."

Wague said "all past agreements" would be respected, including Mali's support for anti-jihadist missions such as the UN force in Mali (MINUSMA), France's Barkhane force, the G5 Sahel, and European special-forces initiative Takuba.

Swathes of Mali's territory are outside of the control of central authorities and years of fighting have failed to halt an Islamist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives since emerging in 2012.

The failure to roll back the jihadists was a major factor in fuelling frustrations with Keita's rule, say analysts.

Tensions flared in April after the government held long-delayed parliamentary elections, the results of which are still disputed.

bur-lc/jm


AFP: Army colonel Assimi Goita on Wednesday introduced himself as Mali's new military strongman a day after a coup that was condemned by the international community but won support from the country's opposition.

The African Union, European Union, the United States and the UN Security Council have all demanded the junta free President Ibrahim Boubacar, Prime Minister Boubou Cisse and others taken captive in Tuesday's coup that followed months of protests.

In the Malian capital Bamako, Goita said after meeting top civil servants that he was the leader of the "National Committee for the Salvation of the People" that has seized power.

"Mali is in a situation of socio-political crisis. There is no more room for mistakes," Goita, surrounded by armed military men, told journalists.

His entourage told AFP that Goita, who is in his forties, had until now headed Mali's special forces based in the centre of the west African country, torn for the last five years by jihadist and sectarian violence.

Several military men told AFP on condition of anonymity that Goita was the true force behind the coup.

Fellow coup chiefs meanwhile called on the public to return to normal life, warned against acts of "vandalism" and threatened to punish any soldier found guilty of extortion.

The opposition coalition M5-RFP said in a statement that "it took note of the commitment" the junta has made to "open a civilian political transition" and would work with it on "developing a roadmap."

The coalition's Choguel Maiga told journalists "we will organise the biggest patriotic rally on Friday" in Bamako and nationwide in order to "celebrate the Malian people's victory".


- 'Unconstitutional change' -


The dramatic events in one of Africa's most volatile countries began early Tuesday, when rebel officers mutinied at a base near Bamako and headed into the city, where they detained Keita and Cisse.

Hours later, Keita -- beset by angry protests over economic stagnation, corruption and a brutal Islamist insurgency -- announced his resignation.

He said he had been given no other choice but to quit, and sought to avoid bloodshed.

Jubilant crowds had cheered the rebels on Tuesday as they arrived in the capital Bamako.

There were few visible traces of those events on Bamako's streets on Wednesday -- troops had not been deployed en masse despite the coup leaders announcing a night-time curfew.

The 55-nation AU blasted the "unconstitutional change of government" in Mali.

The bloc announced that it was suspending Mali -- a rare move that bars a member from attending all summits and meetings -- "until restoration of constitutional order."

It also called for the release of Keita and other officials, a demand also made forcefully by Brussels and Washington.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States "strongly condemns the August 18 mutiny in Mali as we would condemn any forcible seizure of power."

"The freedom and safety of detained government officials and their families must be ensured," he said.

The 15-nation West African bloc ECOWAS, which had tried in vain to mediate in the long-running political crisis, also said it would suspend Mali from its internal decision-making bodies.

It pledged to close land and air borders to Mali and push for sanctions against "all the putschists and their partners and collaborators".

ECOWAS said its leaders will meet on Thursday via video conference to discuss the coup.


- 'Take responsibility' -


The coup leaders had appeared on television overnight to pledge a political transition and new elections within a "reasonable time".

In a brief media appearance, junta spokesman and Air Force deputy chief of staff Ismael Wague called on Malians to "resume their activities in a healthy manner."

Civil servants were "invited" to return to work on Thursday, he said.

He added that no people had died during the coup, despite unconfirmed reports of several deaths.


- Anti-jihadist fight -


With Mali the cornerstone of French-led efforts to roll back jihadists in the Sahel, President Emmanuel Macron reiterated Wednesday his call to return to civilian rule.

"The fight against terrorist groups and the defence of democracy and the rule of law are inseparable," he tweeted.

Macron added that for French forces "to leave is to provoke instability and to weaken our fight. It is not acceptable."

Wague said "all past agreements" would be respected, including Mali's support for anti-jihadist missions such as the UN force in Mali (MINUSMA), France's Barkhane force, the G5 Sahel, and European special-forces initiative Takuba.

Swathes of Mali's territory are outside of the control of central authorities and years of fighting have failed to halt an Islamist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives since emerging in 2012.

The failure to roll back the jihadists was a major factor in fuelling frustrations with Keita's rule, say analysts.

Tensions flared in April after the government held long-delayed parliamentary elections, the results of which are still disputed.

bur-lc/jm

Around 20 soldiers killed in attack in Bamba, northern Mali, according to local politicians and the military.

Around 20 soldiers killed in attack in Bamba, northern Mali, according to local politicians and the military.

BAMAKO: Some 20 Malian soldiers were killed in an apparent extremist attack Monday, local politicians and a military official said, in the latest bout of violence in the war-torn West African state.

Militants attacked a military base in the northern town of Bamba early on Monday morning, according to a local government official, who called the assailants "terrorists" and said at least 20 soldiers had died.

Another local official gave a similar account, explaining that the militants arrived on motorbikes and in cars. "Investigations are still ongoing on the ground because the death toll must be higher than the 20 deaths announced," the official said.

Mali has been struggling to contain an extremist revolt that first broke out in the north in 2012, and which has since spread to the centre of the country and to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Thousands of Malian soldiers and civilians have died in the conflict to date, despite the presence of thousands of French and United Nations troops in the country.

It was not immediately clear who carried out Monday's attack. A Malian army official stationed in northern Mali confirmed that an attack had taken place in Bamba but said that there had been losses on both sides.

He added that the army did not have a clear idea of enemy losses, however, because the militants took their casualties with them when they left the area. Another military official told AFP that reinforcements had been dispatched to the area.

AFP
BAMAKO: Some 20 Malian soldiers were killed in an apparent extremist attack Monday, local politicians and a military official said, in the latest bout of violence in the war-torn West African state.

Militants attacked a military base in the northern town of Bamba early on Monday morning, according to a local government official, who called the assailants "terrorists" and said at least 20 soldiers had died.

Another local official gave a similar account, explaining that the militants arrived on motorbikes and in cars. "Investigations are still ongoing on the ground because the death toll must be higher than the 20 deaths announced," the official said.

Mali has been struggling to contain an extremist revolt that first broke out in the north in 2012, and which has since spread to the centre of the country and to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Thousands of Malian soldiers and civilians have died in the conflict to date, despite the presence of thousands of French and United Nations troops in the country.

It was not immediately clear who carried out Monday's attack. A Malian army official stationed in northern Mali confirmed that an attack had taken place in Bamba but said that there had been losses on both sides.

He added that the army did not have a clear idea of enemy losses, however, because the militants took their casualties with them when they left the area. Another military official told AFP that reinforcements had been dispatched to the area.

AFP

4 Mali soldiers killed in suspected jihadist attack

4 Mali soldiers killed in suspected jihadist attack

Bamako (AFP) - Four Mali soldiers were killed and eight wounded Sunday in a suspected jihadist attack on an army camp in the far north of the country, the Malian military said.

"The provisional toll is four dead, eight injured and several vehicles taken," army colonel Boubacar Sanogoh, regional commander for the Timbuktu region, told AFP.

The outpost in Bambara Maoude, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Timbuktu city, "was the object at about 0500 GMT of a terrorist attack," the military had earlier tweeted alongside an initial toll of three dead and five wounded, plus "material damage".

Communications Minister Yaya Sangare confirmed a death toll of four and tweeted that, following "intervention by the Malian airforce, backed by (French-led force) Barkhane and (UN mission) MINUSMA, the post is under (army) control".

One local official said "the terrorists left, taking vehicles and military equipment with them... together with the bodies of two of their comrades".

Sanogoh said he could not give a toll for the jihadists.

The attack is the latest in a long series of deadly incidents in Mali's north, where French forces said Friday they had killed about 50 jihadists so far this month.

Earlier in February, 40 people, including nine soldiers, died in a spate of attacks in central Mali, with most of the deaths apparently caused by inter-ethnic violence, which also plagues the country.

France said recently it would bolster its contingent in Operation Barkhane from 4,500 to 5,100 by month's end.

Meanwhile, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has raised the prospect of opening a dialogue with some jihadists as a means of trying to find an exit from eight years of conflict.


Source
Bamako (AFP) - Four Mali soldiers were killed and eight wounded Sunday in a suspected jihadist attack on an army camp in the far north of the country, the Malian military said.

"The provisional toll is four dead, eight injured and several vehicles taken," army colonel Boubacar Sanogoh, regional commander for the Timbuktu region, told AFP.

The outpost in Bambara Maoude, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Timbuktu city, "was the object at about 0500 GMT of a terrorist attack," the military had earlier tweeted alongside an initial toll of three dead and five wounded, plus "material damage".

Communications Minister Yaya Sangare confirmed a death toll of four and tweeted that, following "intervention by the Malian airforce, backed by (French-led force) Barkhane and (UN mission) MINUSMA, the post is under (army) control".

One local official said "the terrorists left, taking vehicles and military equipment with them... together with the bodies of two of their comrades".

Sanogoh said he could not give a toll for the jihadists.

The attack is the latest in a long series of deadly incidents in Mali's north, where French forces said Friday they had killed about 50 jihadists so far this month.

Earlier in February, 40 people, including nine soldiers, died in a spate of attacks in central Mali, with most of the deaths apparently caused by inter-ethnic violence, which also plagues the country.

France said recently it would bolster its contingent in Operation Barkhane from 4,500 to 5,100 by month's end.

Meanwhile, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has raised the prospect of opening a dialogue with some jihadists as a means of trying to find an exit from eight years of conflict.


Source

Eight Mali soldiers killed, four others injured in an ambush: Army

Eight Mali soldiers killed, four others injured in an ambush: Army



Bamako (AFP) – Eight Mali soldiers were killed and four others injured in an ambush in the central Gao region on Friday, the army said.

The Malian force also suffered “material damage,” the military said on social media sites, without saying who had carried out the attack in the village of Bintia.

The deaths came hours after the news earlier Friday that 20 people had been killed in an overnight attack on another village in central Mali, apparently the latest deadly incident in a spate of ethnic violence in the deeply troubled region.


Bamako (AFP) – Eight Mali soldiers were killed and four others injured in an ambush in the central Gao region on Friday, the army said.

The Malian force also suffered “material damage,” the military said on social media sites, without saying who had carried out the attack in the village of Bintia.

The deaths came hours after the news earlier Friday that 20 people had been killed in an overnight attack on another village in central Mali, apparently the latest deadly incident in a spate of ethnic violence in the deeply troubled region.

At least twenty killed in central Mali village attack: local officials

At least twenty killed in central Mali village attack: local officials

Twenty people were killed in an attack overnight on a village in central Mali, local officials said Friday, in an apparent spate of ethnic violence in the deeply troubled region.

The attack occurred in Ogossagou, a village mainly inhabited by Fulani people where around 160 died last March in a massacre blamed on Dogon militiamen.

About 30 gunmen carried out the new attack, village chief Aly Ousmane Barry told AFP.

“I counted the numbers while soldiers and the medical services were there,” he said.

“We have 20 dead. Some of them have been burned.”

A local government official, who requested anonymity, earlier confirmed that the attack took place and gave a toll of 11.

He said that the attackers moved in several hours after government troops had pulled out of the area.

Central Mali has been torn by ethnic violence as a result of a jihadist revolt that broke out in the north of the country in 2012.

The insurgency has claimed thousands of lives and spread to neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

Tit-for-tat attacks in central Mali flared after Fulani people, also called Peul, became associated with jihadists.

Led by a firebrand Islamic preacher Amadou Koufa, a militia called the Katiba Macina recruited members from among the Fulani and became accused of ethnically-motivated attacks.

Other ethnic groups such as the Bambara or the Dogon began to form self-defence groups that in turn became accused of reprisal massacres.

In addition to the latest attack at Ogossagou, 14 Fulani were killed in central Mali in January.

Around 75 Dogons were killed in the villages of Sobane Da, Gangafani and Yoro in June last year, in an attack blamed on Fulani militants.

‘Epicentre’ of violence

Human Rights Watch this month pointed to the ethnic patchwork of central Mali as the country’s “epicentre” of violence.

It said over 450 civilians had been killed in the region in 2019, “the deadliest year for civilians” since the jihadist insurgency began.

Reflecting the chronic instability in the centre, Malian soldiers are themselves frequently targeted.

On Friday, one soldier was killed in an attack on a military camp in Mondoro, security officials said.

It had already been hit before — as part of a joint raid by militants that also targeted the military camp of Boulkessy near the border with Burkina Faso, killing at least 25 soldiers.

On January 26, Al-Qaeda-linked militants attacked a military camp in Sokolo, central Mali, killing 20 gendarmes and wounding five more.

The violence in central Mali coincides with renewed hopes that the fragile government can reassert control over the widely lawless north.

Troops returned on Thursday to Kidal, a northern town that had been a bastion of Touareg rebels, after a six-year absence.

Regular forces returned to the town accompanied by former rebels who have been integrated into the army under a regional peace agreement.

The deal, reached in Algiers in 2015, is considered one of the few avenues Mali has for escaping the cycle of violence.

AFP
Twenty people were killed in an attack overnight on a village in central Mali, local officials said Friday, in an apparent spate of ethnic violence in the deeply troubled region.

The attack occurred in Ogossagou, a village mainly inhabited by Fulani people where around 160 died last March in a massacre blamed on Dogon militiamen.

About 30 gunmen carried out the new attack, village chief Aly Ousmane Barry told AFP.

“I counted the numbers while soldiers and the medical services were there,” he said.

“We have 20 dead. Some of them have been burned.”

A local government official, who requested anonymity, earlier confirmed that the attack took place and gave a toll of 11.

He said that the attackers moved in several hours after government troops had pulled out of the area.

Central Mali has been torn by ethnic violence as a result of a jihadist revolt that broke out in the north of the country in 2012.

The insurgency has claimed thousands of lives and spread to neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

Tit-for-tat attacks in central Mali flared after Fulani people, also called Peul, became associated with jihadists.

Led by a firebrand Islamic preacher Amadou Koufa, a militia called the Katiba Macina recruited members from among the Fulani and became accused of ethnically-motivated attacks.

Other ethnic groups such as the Bambara or the Dogon began to form self-defence groups that in turn became accused of reprisal massacres.

In addition to the latest attack at Ogossagou, 14 Fulani were killed in central Mali in January.

Around 75 Dogons were killed in the villages of Sobane Da, Gangafani and Yoro in June last year, in an attack blamed on Fulani militants.

‘Epicentre’ of violence

Human Rights Watch this month pointed to the ethnic patchwork of central Mali as the country’s “epicentre” of violence.

It said over 450 civilians had been killed in the region in 2019, “the deadliest year for civilians” since the jihadist insurgency began.

Reflecting the chronic instability in the centre, Malian soldiers are themselves frequently targeted.

On Friday, one soldier was killed in an attack on a military camp in Mondoro, security officials said.

It had already been hit before — as part of a joint raid by militants that also targeted the military camp of Boulkessy near the border with Burkina Faso, killing at least 25 soldiers.

On January 26, Al-Qaeda-linked militants attacked a military camp in Sokolo, central Mali, killing 20 gendarmes and wounding five more.

The violence in central Mali coincides with renewed hopes that the fragile government can reassert control over the widely lawless north.

Troops returned on Thursday to Kidal, a northern town that had been a bastion of Touareg rebels, after a six-year absence.

Regular forces returned to the town accompanied by former rebels who have been integrated into the army under a regional peace agreement.

The deal, reached in Algiers in 2015, is considered one of the few avenues Mali has for escaping the cycle of violence.

AFP

Africa: Mali’s president acknowledges dialogue with jihadist leaders

Africa: Mali’s president acknowledges dialogue with jihadist leaders

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI) Monday, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita acknowledged, for the first time, that his government had opened up a dialogue with senior jihadist leaders.
With the death toll from ethnic and jihadist violence in Mali increasing in recent months, Keita said his administration was open to talks with jihadists leaders in a bid to end the instability and bloodshed that has gripped the country over the past eight years.

"Talking with jihadists and fighting terrorism is not contradictory,” said Keita. “I have a duty and a mission today to create all possible spaces and to do everything possible so that, by one means or another, some kind of appeasement can be achieved. It's time certain avenues were explored," he explained.

Keita acknowledged that his government had made contact with Iyad Ag Ghali – a prominent Tuareg figure and leader of the Ansar Dine jihadist group – as well as Amadou Koufa, leader of Katiba Macina, a group of predominantly Fulani ethnic fighters allied with Ansar Dine.

Keita reiterated that he was not "naive" about the intentions of the jihadist leaders. But peace measures were imperative, he insisted. "The number of deaths in the Sahel is becoming exponential and it's time that certain avenues be explored," he explained.

Rebels captured a huge swathe of northern Mali in 2012, triggering a jihadist insurgency that has now spread to neighbouring countries in the transitional Sahel zone between the Sahara and the African savannah.

Keita’s interview came as the New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Malian authorities to investigate massacres by armed ethnic groups and Islamist militants in central Mali that killed more than 450 people, making 2019 the deadliest year in the region since the conflict began in 2012.

Malian soldiers begin deploying to Kidal

The Malian president also revealed that Malian army soldiers on Monday had begun deploying to Kidal and should arrive in the key northern town by Friday.

The return of Malian soldiers to Kidal is considered a key component in implementing the 2015 Algiers peace agreement, struck between the government in Bamako and some rebel groups.

Keita said the army had set off from the northern Malian city of Gao about 200 kilometres (120 miles) south. But he warned that the journey could be dangerous.

"It is therefore normal that the general staff... Malian forces and the allied forces, act cautiously," he told FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman and RFI’s Christophe Boisbouvier.

Kidal fell to separatist Tuareg rebels in 2012, who remain in control of the city despite the presence of UN and French troops operating under Operation Barkhane. While the Tuareg rebels controlling Kidal signed a peace accord with the government in Bamako in 2015, the implementation of the deal has been shaky on the ground.

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI) Monday, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita acknowledged, for the first time, that his government had opened up a dialogue with senior jihadist leaders.
With the death toll from ethnic and jihadist violence in Mali increasing in recent months, Keita said his administration was open to talks with jihadists leaders in a bid to end the instability and bloodshed that has gripped the country over the past eight years.

"Talking with jihadists and fighting terrorism is not contradictory,” said Keita. “I have a duty and a mission today to create all possible spaces and to do everything possible so that, by one means or another, some kind of appeasement can be achieved. It's time certain avenues were explored," he explained.

Keita acknowledged that his government had made contact with Iyad Ag Ghali – a prominent Tuareg figure and leader of the Ansar Dine jihadist group – as well as Amadou Koufa, leader of Katiba Macina, a group of predominantly Fulani ethnic fighters allied with Ansar Dine.

Keita reiterated that he was not "naive" about the intentions of the jihadist leaders. But peace measures were imperative, he insisted. "The number of deaths in the Sahel is becoming exponential and it's time that certain avenues be explored," he explained.

Rebels captured a huge swathe of northern Mali in 2012, triggering a jihadist insurgency that has now spread to neighbouring countries in the transitional Sahel zone between the Sahara and the African savannah.

Keita’s interview came as the New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Malian authorities to investigate massacres by armed ethnic groups and Islamist militants in central Mali that killed more than 450 people, making 2019 the deadliest year in the region since the conflict began in 2012.

Malian soldiers begin deploying to Kidal

The Malian president also revealed that Malian army soldiers on Monday had begun deploying to Kidal and should arrive in the key northern town by Friday.

The return of Malian soldiers to Kidal is considered a key component in implementing the 2015 Algiers peace agreement, struck between the government in Bamako and some rebel groups.

Keita said the army had set off from the northern Malian city of Gao about 200 kilometres (120 miles) south. But he warned that the journey could be dangerous.

"It is therefore normal that the general staff... Malian forces and the allied forces, act cautiously," he told FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman and RFI’s Christophe Boisbouvier.

Kidal fell to separatist Tuareg rebels in 2012, who remain in control of the city despite the presence of UN and French troops operating under Operation Barkhane. While the Tuareg rebels controlling Kidal signed a peace accord with the government in Bamako in 2015, the implementation of the deal has been shaky on the ground.

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