Three female soldiers out of a group of 49 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali, who accuses them of being mercenaries, have been released, a Malian diplomat and a Togolese diplomat told AFP on Saturday.

"I announce the good news: on humanitarian grounds, Mali has released the three women from the contingent of 49 Ivorian soldiers," said the Malian diplomat on condition of anonymity. 

On July 10, 49 Ivorian soldiers in military uniform, but unarmed, landed in Bamako from a plane belonging to the national company Air Côte d'Ivoire, another aircraft carrying their weapons.

They are immediately arrested and questioned about the reasons for their presence in Mali, having "neither mission order nor authorization" to be there, according to the Malian authorities.

The next day, they are accused of being "mercenaries" who came to Mali with the "malignant design" of "breaking the dynamics of the refoundation and securing of Mali, as well as the return to constitutional order".

The Ivorian head of state immediately demanded the release of his soldiers, who, according to him, were unjustly arrested.

Abidjan assures that these soldiers were on a mission for the UN, as part of logistical support operations for the United Nations Mission in Mali (Minusma) and demands their release.

The 49 soldiers were charged in mid-August by the Malian courts, in particular for "attempting to undermine the external security of the State" and imprisoned.

"Failures and misunderstandings" -

During the press conference on Saturday, the minister director of cabinet to the Ivorian presidency Fidèle Sarassoro returned to these arrests.

"The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire regrets that shortcomings and misunderstandings were at the origin of this highly regrettable event", he underlined. 

The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, anxious to maintain good neighborly relations with Mali, undertakes to respect the procedures of the United Nations as well as the new Malian rules and provisions enacted, relating to the deployment of military forces in Mali", he added.

Finally, "in order to iron out existing differences and thus contribute to the preservation of peace and stability in the sub-region, the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire undertakes to pursue in a transparent and constructive manner with the Mali, exchanges and discussions on all subjects of common interest", according to him.

In this case, the UN had recognized "dysfunctions" in a note addressed to the Malian government and admitted that "certain measures were not followed".

"The Minusma notes that the Ivorian elements were deployed in Sénou (Bamako) to ensure security at the base of the German NSE in this same locality, instead of Timbuktu (north) where the Ivorian contingent of the Minusma is based", is he notably explained.

Until the release of the female soldiers, this affair illustrated the tensions between Mali and Côte d'Ivoire, accused by Bamako of having incited its West African partners to toughen the sanctions against the Malian soldiers who carried out two State since 2020, sanctions finally lifted in early July.

Several mediations are underway to obtain their release, including that of Togo and Malian religious leaders.

This affair illustrates the tensions between Mali and Côte d'Ivoire, accused by Bamako of having encouraged its West African partners to toughen the sanctions against the Malian soldiers who have carried out two coups since 2020, sanctions finally lifted in early July. .

With AFP

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