Mali: 46 detained Ivorian troops stand trial as deadline for release nears

The 46 Ivorian soldiers suspected of being “mercenaries” and detained in Mali since July have appeared before the Court of Appeal in the capital city Bamako on Thursday.

Their trial comes in the run-up to a deadline on 1 January 2023 set by West African leaders for Mali to demand the release of the troops or face sanctions.

The Ivorian soldiers were arrested in Mali on 10 July and charged in mid-August with “attempting to undermine the external security of the state”. Three of them, all women were later released. Côte d’Ivoire and the United Nations say the troops were flown in to provide routine backup security for the German contingent of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali.

A week ago, an official Ivorian delegation met with Malian authorities in a “fraternal” atmosphere and the Defense Minister in Abidjan assured that the case was “in the process of being resolved.” “After the case was investigated by the military justice system, we have registered it for referral to a special trial without a public hearing” on Thursday, a deputy at the Bamako court of appeal told the media. “What we need to remember is that the Bamako court of appeal will try the 46 Ivorian soldiers arrested on 10 July 2022 at Bamako airport with weapons,” he added.

Under the Malian justice system, the 46 Ivorian soldiers face a criminal sentence of ten to twenty years.