Mali government must stop bombing civilians, Amnesty
Bamako, 24 Feb – (ANA) - The Malian government must end bomb attacks against the civilian population in the north of the country, Amnesty International said yesterday after a four year old girl was killed amid shelling.
Fata Walette Ahmedou was injured on Wednesday afternoon after an army helicopter shelled the Kel Essouck camp near the northern town of Kidal, some 1,600 km north-east of the capital Bamako. She died of her injuries on Thursday morning.
At least 12 other people were wounded in the attack, including Khawlata Walette Alladi who suffered severe pelvic wounds and had to have her leg amputated. Another woman who had recently given birth suffered head injuries.
“It’s the civilian population who is bearing the brunt of this indiscriminate bombing. In addition to human casualties, the attacks have killed dozens of cattle, camels and goats which the Nomad Tuareg population rely on,” said Gaëtan Mootoo, Amnesty International’s researcher on West Africa.“These bombings violate international humanitarian law and the government must stop them immediately.” (ANA)
FA/ANA/24 February 2012----------