Investigations fail to establish source of shots fired at Mali airport

Preliminary investigations have failed to determine the source of shots that were fired on April 18, killing two people among protesters at the Kidal airport in northern Mali, a source from the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said Thursday in Bamako.

While releasing the preliminary findings, the spokesperson for the UN mission Radhia Achouri recalled that on April 18, protesters, some carrying rifles, forced their way into the Kidal runway which is protected by MINUSMA, ransacking and burning some security installations.

The protesters were demanding the release of people arrested in Kidal following the death of three French soldiers operating under Barkhane operation in the area.

MINUSMA expressed concern over use of children in such violent protests and strongly condemned the action, the spokesperson said.

She regretted the negative impact that the events had had on efforts to bring aid to the vulnerable population.

"Several months of rehabilitation and a lot of financial resources will be needed before the runway can be operational, something that will make many people in the north to suffer," MINUSMA chief Mahamat Saleh Annadif said.

He warned that MINUSMA will not repair the runway without political guarantees, and further encouraged the rebel movements in the North, operating under the Coordination of Azawad Movements, to provide security around the airport.

Achouri said investigations are ongoing and will be complete soon to establish the exact cause of the incident and those responsible.

In this regard, she appealed for full cooperation of all concerned parties for investigations to be complete. Endit