Chadian soldier kills commander, colleague in Mali

Chadian soldier kills commander, colleague in Mali

Friday, February 26, 2016 12:17 pm


Chadian troops in Mali

Chadian troops in Mali

A Chadian UN peacekeeper in Mali on Thursday killed two colleagues, including his commander, at a camp in the northeastern region of Kidal, UN sources say.

A UN security source said a “mutinous” peacekeeper shot the commander of his contingent and another soldier — who are both Chadian.

Spokesman for the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), Olivier Salgado, confirmed the deaths of the two peacekeepers on the phone.

No explanation has been given for the shooting, but it is said to have followed an argument.

The shooter has been arrested and investigations launched, Salgado said.

The incident occurred at a time when tens of Chadian peacekeepers were said to be “unhappy” with their working and living conditions in northern Mali, MINUSMA security sources revealed.

Last year, a Chadian contingent under MINUSMA abandoned its positions in northern Mali to demand salary arrears.

Chad contributes 1,151 soldiers and police officers to the 11,700-strong MINUSMA, making them the third largest group in the mission after Burkina Faso, 1,742 and Bangladesh, 1,725.

MINUSMA was deployed to northern Mali in July 2013.


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