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 Secretary-General 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.
Read Full Article »