Fresh fighting between soldiers in Bamako as death toll rises
As the casualty figure rises, sounds of heavy gunfire has again been heard in the Malian capital, Bamako, after a televised announcement by Captain Amadou Sanogo and his former junta that they have put down a counter coup over night.
West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) Bamako Correspondent Abdoul Karim Ba quotes doctors at the Gabriel Toure hospital in the Malian capital said 11 deaths have been recorded so far, mainly soldiers and 31 wounded, since clashes broke out on Monday.
WADR’s Bamako Correspondent Abdoul Karim Ba said fresh shooting started around 10 am GMT on Tuesday around the barracks of the "Red Beret" presidential guard troops who are loyal to deposed President Amadou Toumani Toure and the state TV station.
The fighting comes after Captain Sanogo and the March coup leaders claim that they were in control of the situation in Bamako, after hours of fighting.
Speaking on state TV on Tuesday morning, the junta said they were in control of the state broadcasting compound, Bamako international airport and army barracks, after a counter-coup attempt.
Captain Sanogo’s junta handed power to an interim government headed by the former Speaker, Diounconde Traore after coup last March.
But he's still said to be trying to micro-manage the country's politics behind the scene.
Following last week's ECOWAS meeting in Abidjan, Mali’s former junta leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo has called for all parties to respect the April 6 peace deal that said the interim President Dioncounda Traoré will rule for 40 days before the holding of elections, in line with the country’s constitution.
In a broadcast on Malian state radio and television, said the agreement between the junta and ECOWAS was clear on the tenure of the former Speaker who is now interim Head of state.
WADR’s Bamako Correspondent Abdoul Karim Ba said Captain Sanogo made his broadcast less than 48 hours after the the ECOWAS extraordinary warning against not strictly respecting and the implementation of the agreement.
“After these 40 days, we or the acting Head of state will not lead this transition, nothing will change and the actual government will remain to carry on with its duties. I am therefore taking this opportunity to ask the Malian people and the armed forces to remain calm, nothing has changed and nothing will be changed as long as the clauses of the signed agreement are implemented,” Sanogo said.
WADR’s Correspondent said the junta leader is a way for him to show his disagreement with the decisions coming from the extraordinary summit of the Heads of state of the April 26th and 27th sub- regional organization meeting in Abidjan.
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