New York, Aug 6 : Foreign mercenaries who are under contract with Mali’s military are thought to have orchestrated the murder of more than 30 civilians in the country earlier in the year according to an unconfirmed UN report.The report was published by the news agency dpa the report, written by UN experts and presented to the Security Council, describes an incident that occurred in central Mali in the early months of March.
It recounts eyewitness reports of the appearance of “white-skinned soldiers” in a Malian village in the early morning of March 5.
“The soldiers began to round all the men and boys of a certain age, then tied the hands of their backs, and blindfolded them” according to the report, one witness as saying.He added that they were then arrested in the middle of the village.The houses around them were robbed.
The soldiers then reportedly began beating blindfolded held back men with large sticks while others blocked doors to houses nearby and directed women as well as children to stay inside.
“They were able to hear only the shouts of the men as they were brutally beaten,” the witness added.
As many as 34 men comprising 29 Mauritanians and four Malians were taken away, according to the witness in a statement, adding that their burned remains were found nearby the next day.
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