The Malian government said that it would investigate the disappearance of a number of Mauritanians on its soil, in an incident that caused a diplomatic crisis between Bamako and Nouakchott.
Government spokesman Abdullah Maiga said, in a statement on Wednesday evening, that his country would open an investigation, and a government statement stated that the authorities had decided to send a high-ranking delegation to Nouakchott as soon as possible in order to take strict measures to enhance brotherhood and cooperation between the two countries, especially in the field of joint border management. Defense and security of persons and property.
The financial statement clarified that there is no evidence that the armed forces are accused, adding that they respect human rights and always act professionally in the fight against terrorism.
Bamako stressed that it will spare no effort in finding the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and bringing them before the competent justice.
Strong protest
Earlier, a statement from the Mauritanian Foreign Ministry said that the Malian ambassador, Mohamed Debassi, was summoned on Tuesday, and presented to him "a strong protest against the recent repeated criminal acts carried out by the Malian regular forces against innocent and powerless Mauritanian citizens on Mali." .
The Mauritanian statement did not clarify the details of the accusations against the Malian forces or mention the number of missing persons, amid reports of their deaths.
On Monday, the independent Mauritanian news agency quoted Member of Parliament Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Hanna as saying that about 15 citizens were killed as a result of being targeted inside Mali, but he did not provide further details.
Last January, the Mauritanian presidency announced the killing of 7 citizens in Mali. At that time, local media reported the killing of Mauritanians at the hands of a Malian army force, without specifying the circumstances.
The two countries link the longest land border in the region, reaching 2,237 km, and many armed organizations are active on their borders, including the branch of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
Mali is particularly dependent on Nouakchott because its borders with most of its other neighbors are closed due to the sanctions imposed on it by the Economic Community of West Asian States in January, noting that Mauritania is not a member of this group.
The economic group imposed these sanctions after the ruling military junta in Mali announced plans to postpone the elections aimed at returning to democratic rule after two successive coups.