Malian military officer assassinated in Gao by unidentified gunmen

15 Mai 2020

Bamako, Mali, May 15 (Infosplusgabon) - Mali's regional head of the Operational Coordination Mechanism (OMC) in Gao, north of the country, Col. Abba Soumaré, was assassinated on Thursday in the 7th district of the city located 1,200 km from Bamako, according to an informed source.

The Malian army officer died of his wounds at the regional hospital in Gao.

He was in a vehicle that was taken away by  unidentified armed men and his bodyguard was seriously injured during the attack.

The OMC comprises battalions of ex-combatants and military personnel of the Malian Armed Forces, established in accordance with the Algiers Peace and Reconciliation Agreement.

Located in the Timbuktu, Gao, and Kidal regions, it organizes joint patrols to secure the populations and their property in these regions, which have been plagued by insecurity since 2012.

The OMC is one of the strong recommendations of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, which aims to achieve lasting peace in Mali, after a series of rebellions by pro-independence Tuaregs.

Gao has recently been the scene of assassinations of members of the OMC and economic operators, most often by unidentified armed men.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/GVB/GABON2020

© Copyright  Infosplusgabon