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BAMAKO, Mali — Malian authorities arrested practically 50 troopers from Ivory Coast who got here to Mali to work for a contracting firm of the United Nations mission in Mali. The federal government made the announcement Monday calling the Ivorian troopers “mercenaries,” in a transfer that would increase tensions between the 2 West African international locations.
Two plane arrived at Mali’s worldwide airport Sunday with the 49 troopers “with their weapons and ammunition of conflict, in addition to different army tools,” mentioned Malian authorities spokesman Col. Abdoulaye Maiga. They “had been illegally on the nationwide territory of Mali,” and the transitional authorities considers them mercenaries, he added.
U.N. mission spokesman Olivier Salgado mentioned these Ivorian troopers “will not be a part of one of many MINUSMA contingents, however have been deployed for a number of years in Mali as a part of logistical help on behalf of one among our contingents.” He mentioned that their arrival as reduction would have been communicated beforehand to the nationwide authorities. They’re working for a German firm that’s contracted by the U.N. mission often known as the Sahelian Aviation Companies.
Authorities spokesman Maiga mentioned they’d put an finish to the safety exercise of the Sahelian Aviation Companies by international forces and demand their departure from Malian territory. The federal government invited “the airline “ Sahelian Aviation Companies “to henceforth entrust its safety to the Malian protection and safety forces,” he mentioned.
Mali’s transitional authorities affirmed in June that it’s going to not authorize the U.N. mission to research ongoing human rights violations in Mali, including to additional tensions as France additionally withdraws its forces.
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