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Pardoned Ivorian soldiers arrive home after six months in Malian captivity

Pardoned Ivorian soldiers arrive home after six months in Malian captivity

LOUCOUMANE COULIBALY FORTY-SIX Ivorian soldiers recently pardoned by Mali's junta flew home to Ivory Coast's Abidjan airport after around six months in captivity, state television showed. Their return signals the apparent resolution of a diplomatic standoff between the West African neighbours that also worsened Mali's already tense relations with regional powers. Emerging from the plane, each soldier held a small Ivorian flag and smiled as he shook hands with Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara who was waiting to greet them at the airport. "Now that this crisis is behind us, we can resume normal relations with the brother country of Mali,"…
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Mali leader pardons Ivorian soldiers, suspends 46 prison sentences

Mali leader pardons Ivorian soldiers, suspends 46 prison sentences

MALI'S junta leader has pardoned 49 Ivorian soldiers arrested in July and accused of conspiring against the Malian government, the presidency said in a statement. The soldiers' arrest sparked a diplomatic dispute between Mali and neighbouring Ivory Coast, and widespread condemnation from regional leaders against a country already at odds with the international community. They were arrested at the airport in Mali's capital Bamako last July. Malian authorities said the troops were acting as mercenaries, while Ivory Coast said they were part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali. Three who were women were later released, while the remaining 46…
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Ambush in northern Ivory Coast kills three soldiers

Ambush in northern Ivory Coast kills three soldiers

THREE Ivorian soldiers were killed on patrol near the border with Burkina Faso when one of their vehicles hit an improvised explosive and the convoy was ambushed, Ivory Coast's defence ministry said in a statement. The soldiers were on a reconnaissance mission near the northeastern town of Tehini when they fell victim to what the ministry called a complex attack. An additional four soldiers were wounded, it said in a statement on Sunday, without giving further details. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but previous attacks in the area have been blamed on jihadists. Armed groups linked to al…
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