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Malian citizens applauded the decision of Colonel Asimi Goyita, leader of the Malian junta, to pardon all 49 Ivory Coast soldiers on Friday after their arrest in July sparked a bitter diplomatic dispute. .
“We have been in diplomatic turmoil for so long and it would be a relief for the international community, the sub-community and for all Malians and Côte d’Ivoire if President Asimi Goyta could pardon these 49 soldiers. I think people,” Zafara Ongoiba responded.
The soldiers returned home on Saturday night and tensions between the two countries are now easing.
“This is reassuring. Mali and Côte d’Ivoire come from the same land. We have practically the same culture, but if something like this happens, it should be resolved amicably for me. , should not be resolved in a way that it cannot. Leading to further misunderstandings between the two countries. I think that is fine, it is being done too well.
Mali’s military junta leader decided to pardon all 49 Ivory Coast soldiers on Friday in a bid to ease current tensions between Mali and Ivory Coast.
“Colonel Asimi Goita has granted amnesty with full exoneration of sentences to 49 Côte d’Ivoire convicted by the Malian judicial system,” said a government spokesman and minister for territorial administration and decentralization. Colonel Abdullah Maiga issued a statement.
On December 30, 46 soldiers were sentenced to 20 years in prison, and three of the original 49 women, who had already been released in early September, were sentenced to death in absentia.
In a statement at the time, prosecutor Raj Sala said they were convicted of “attacking and conspiring against the government” and “undermining national security.”
The trial began in the capital, Bamako, on 29 December and ended the following day.
The court proceedings followed the Jan. 1 deadline set by leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for Mali to release its soldiers or face sanctions.
Mali’s military junta branded the detained troops as mercenaries after they arrived at Bamako airport on July 10.
Côte d’Ivoire and the United Nations say soldiers have been flown in to provide regular backup security for the German contingent of UN peacekeeping operations in Mali.
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