Published: Less than 2 hours ago
Mali’s ruling junta pardons the soldiers from the Ivory Coast who have been sentenced to harsh sentences in the country. This is stated by the junta in a statement.
The day before New Year’s Eve, 46 soldiers were sentenced to 20 years in prison each, while three soldiers were sentenced to death in absentia.
The judges defused the diplomatic row that led to West African ECOWAS saying the cooperation body would impose sanctions on Mali if the soldiers were not released by the end of the year.
Although this did not happen, Ecowas announced on Wednesday that they were holding off on the sanctions, and would instead try to mediate between the countries.
The soldiers concerned were flown last July to Mali in support of the German units participating in the UN’s peacekeeping operation in the country. But they were arrested shortly after landing in Mali’s capital, Bamako, branded as mercenaries and accused of trying to undermine security.