Mali govt slams claims of live fire at protesters

BAMAKO: Mali’s government on Sunday condemned ‘ false and slanderous’ claims by the country’s opposition that live ammunition was used against protesters during banned demonstrations two months ahead of a presidential election.

Twenty- five people were wounded in clashes in the capital Bamako on Saturday, a hospital source said, and the United Nations called from calm just days after SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres visited the West African country.

The allegations of live fire prompted a strong reaction from Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, who said he read of the news “with indignation”.

“I formally and vigorously deny this false and slanderous statement, which has no other goal than to distract the Malian people and government from the concerns of the moment, which are peace and security for transparent, fair and credible elections,” he said in a statement.

His advisor Cheick Oumar Coulibaly said none of the wounded spent the night in hospital, and ‘no bullet wounds were recorded’.

The capital’s Gabriel Toure hospital said 25 people were admitted to emergency, but none were shot.

The ‘ transparency’ rally outside the party headquarters of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in Bamako attracted several hundred people on Saturday.

Police fired tear gas and beat demonstrators with batons, according to an AFP reporter at the scene. Clashes also took place in other locations.

The demonstrations came ahead of July 29 elections in which President Keita, 73, will face more than a dozen challengers. — AFP