12 MALIAN Soldiers Killed in Terrorist Attack In Central Region of West Africa MALI
Les Forces Armées Maliennes (FAMa) sont responsables de la défense de l’intégrité territoriale et la souveraineté du Mali.
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
At least 12 Malian soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack in the central Mopti region of the west African nation, Mali’s military reported Tuesday. The attack took place in the early morning hours of October 13, leaving 9 soldiers dead and an unidentified number of wounded. Reinforcements were dispatched to the area where they came under a complex terrorist attack (IED EMBUSCADE) at the Parou bridge in the same locality on October 13 at approximately 8:30 a.m., with 3 dead, 10 injured FAMA, and several missing. The Malian military air force arrived in the area of the bridge and destroyed two terrorist vehicles, Mali’s military reported in a statement. In addition, 12 civilians were killed in central Mali early Tuesday morning. The civilians were traveling in a minibus on their way to a weekly market in Bankass, a town in central Mali’s Mopti region, when the attack occurred. The minibus was apparently following a military convoy sent to reinforce an army outpost which was attacked in the earlier Tuesday, when it fell into an ambush.
UN MINUSMA Condemns Double Deadly Attacks in Mali
“The UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) tells us that they condemn two successive attacks against Malian Armed Forces in central Mali yesterday. The attacks by unidentified armed elements resulted in the death of at least eleven Malian soldiers and twelve civilians. The UN mission immediately deployed air assets to secure the area, while UN peacekeepers provided first aid to the wounded and evacuated the most critical cases by helicopter to the appropriate medical centres. We join our colleagues in Mali in sending our condolences to the Malian Government as well as to the grieving families and wish a speedy and complete recovery to those wounded.”
-Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General.
Fourth Attack on Soldiers in MALI After August Military Coup – 30 Soldiers Killed
Les Forces Armées Maliennes (FAMa) sont responsables de la défense de l’intégrité territoriale et la souveraineté du Mali.
-Three Malian soldiers were killed September 23 in an ambush in the central region of the west African nation. The attack took place in the town of Boulkessy in which four other soldiers were injured.
-On September 9, Four Malian soldiers were killed in an attack on a military unit in the central part of Mali near Alatona, close to the Mauritania border. The attack was carried out by suspected extremists, according to Mali’s military.
-On September 4, at least 10 Malian soldiers were killed in an attack by Islamic extremists in an ambush in a central region near the Mauritanian border. The soldiers were killed, including a senior officer, in the attack in Guire and four vehicles were destroyed by fire.
Mali was plunged into political chaos following a military coup on August 18 that forced out President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta . A group of military officers, the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), has controlled the West African country after the mutineers detained Keïta at gunpoint, arrested him and forced him to resign. Former Mali defence minister and retired colonel Bah Ndaw was named interim president while the leader of the junta that seized power last month, Colonel Assimi Goita, was appointed vice president.
UN Security Council Holds Meeting On MALI Amid Military Coup, Violence
Security Council meetingThe situation in MaliReport of the Secretary-General on the situation in Mali at UN world headquarters New York Oct. 8, 2020 (UN Photo /Evan Schneider)
The Security Council last week heard a briefing from Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The meeting focused on developments since the August 19 military coup in Mali and efforts to establish a political transition. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its appointed mediator to Mali, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, have been leading negotiations with the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), formed by the soldiers that carried out the coup against President Ibrahim Keïta. The crisis, which reportedly started as a mutiny before evolving into a coup, followed protests since June by the opposition and civil society groups calling for Keïta’s resignation over Mali’s mismanagement, corruption, insecurity and a controversial constitutional court ruling that overturned the results of legislative elections earlier this year in favour of Keïta’s ruling party. On 28 September, Moctar Ouane, a former foreign minister and diplomat, was named transitional prime minister. A new 25-member government, announced on 5 October, includes the appointment of army colonels to the posts of defence, security, territorial administration and national reconciliation.
The meeting was chaired by Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation and President of the Security Council for the month of October.
“We have taken note of the decisions made by the interim authorities in this regard, including the Transition Charter, appointment of President and Prime Minister. Formation of a ministerial cabinet is also a step in the right direction. We welcome the discharge from custody of former Prime Minister Boubou Cissé and other high-ranking officials arrested on 18 August. We expect that the terms of the transition period – 18 months – will be strictly upheld, to be followed by general elections. Prospects for stabilization in Mali fully depend on whether the new authorities and other political forces will scrupulously follow the Algiers Peace Agreement. We hope this will be subject to constructive dialogue with groups-“signatories”. Security and governance reforms should continue, and the interests of all people.”
-Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation
