Malian government slams 'inappropriate' comment by ECOWAS chairman

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The transitional government of Mali, in a statement read on Thursday evening on national television, blasted the "inappropriate" comment of the current president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Umaro Sissoco Embalo.

The Malian government called on the ECOWAS Commission to take the necessary steps to ensure that the killings in Karma, Burkina Faso, are not repeated in its communiqué of 20 April 2023.

The Malian government called for restraint and prudence by the current president of ECOWAS, saying that "the search for the alleged perpetrators of offences falls exclusively within the competence of the sovereign authorities of Burkina Faso, who are sparing no effort in the fight against terrorism".

"It should also be recalled that the manipulation of identity-based conflicts by terrorist groups is one of their modus operandi, with a view to undermining national cohesion.

"Therefore, in the absence of any evidence and without any authorization, the reaction of the current president of ECOWAS is far from strengthening national cohesion in Burkina Faso and constitutes a serious interference in the internal affairs of Burkina Faso," the statement said.

According to the text, for the Republic of Mali, "this episode is reminiscent of desperate attempts to instrumentalize human rights in order to accuse the authorities of the Transition and the valiant Malian Defence and Security Forces and, in fine, to hinder the fight against terrorism".

"The transitional government remains vigilant and will not accept that such manoeuvres target the Burkinabe authorities, with whom the Malian authorities are fully committed to the eradication of terrorism supported by foreign state sponsors.

"The Malian government expresses its deep sorrow at the attack on civilians in the village of Karma in Burkina Faso on 21 April 2023 and offers its deepest condolences to the authorities and the brotherly people of Burkina Faso and prays for the repose of the souls of those who died as a result of this barbaric act," the statement concluded.

As a reminder, Mali and Burkina Faso, two Sahelian border countries, are facing terrorist attacks that have caused hundreds of civilian and military deaths and thousands of displaced persons on both sides.

-0- PANA GT/JSG/BBA/RA 5May2023