UN appoints 3 experts to investigate violent protest in Mali

The United Nations announced Friday the appointment of three experts to investigate a violent protest in front of a UN peacekeeping camp in northern Mali last month, which led to the death of at least three protesters.

The UN has informed the Malian government of the inquiry and " received assurances of its full support," said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric at a regular briefing here.

The three-member inquiry team, led by Bacre Waly Ndiaye of Senegal, also includes Ralph Zacklin of the United Kingdom and Mark Kroeker of the United States. The team will soon go to Mali in order to "establish, swiftly and comprehensively, the facts surrounding the demonstration," said Dujarric.

The violence erupted on Jan. 27 in Gao, northern Mali when protesters gathered outside the headquarters of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) . Three people were killed and at least seven others were injured when thousands of protesters tried to break into the UN mission's camp.

It is believed that the protesters were angry about a plan to create a security zone that would force pro-government militia to disarm.

MINUSMA was established in 2013 by a UN Security Council resolution to support the political process and carry out security- related stabilization tasks in the country. Endite