The Federal Government has approved the immediate
deployment of 900 troops as part of the ECOWAS Force to push for the
emancipation of Northern Mali from the grip of Islamists.
The Director of Defence Information, Col. Mohammed
Yerima, said during a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday that the
President ordered the deployment of the troops for the crucial military
mission.
He said that the first batch comprising 190 troops
would leave the country for Mali on Wednesday (today) while “the
remainder would be deployed later.”
Yerima said, “As you are aware, the degenerating
crisis in the Republic of Mali compelled the decision of ECOWAS Heads of
Government to intervene with a deployment of their military forces.
“Following this decision, and in line with Nigeria’s
acclaimed peacekeeping roles and in the spirit of African brotherhood,
the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan, has ordered the immediate deployment of Nigerian troops in
Mali.
“The President approved the deployment of a battalion
and in the next 24 hours, a company of the battalion will be deployed.
Already, the Force Commander, Maj.Gen. S.U. Abdulkadir, is on the ground
in Mali. Also, a technical team of Nigerian Army and Air Force is
already in Mali to facilitate the eventual full deployment of fighter
aircraft and support element.
Yerima stated that the President had to order
immediate deployment of troops because of the activities of the
Islamists, who invaded Gao and other cities in Mali.
He said that deployment of troops and military equipment for the Mali operations would have taken place in September, 2013.
The Director of Defence Information said that the
Federal Government’s move was not due to pressure from France, but a
reaction to the incursion of the Islamists into other areas in Mali.
Yerima was however, silent on the number of Air Force
personnel that would be deployed for the ECOWAS mission in the
embattled Francophone country.
He said that the Air Force would give the number of its personnel during a news briefing by the service later.
However, when one of our correspondents contacted the
Director of Air Force Information, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, he said
that Air Force fighters and personnel would be deployed on Friday.
He said that the details would be supplied later.
It was gathered that the Nigerian Air Force component would be deployed from Kainji, Niger State.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has said all parties to the armed conflict in Mali must ensure civilians are protected.
In a statement by its Media Officer, Katy Pownall, on
Monday, the international human rights body observed an escalation of
the violence in the troubled West African nation.
It also noted that with French support, the Malian
army launched a counter-offensive against armed Islamist groups on 11
January to prevent the capture of cities in the south of the country.
“There are real concerns that the fighting might lead
to indiscriminate or other unlawful attacks in areas where members of
armed Islamist groups and civilians are inter-mingled,” the statement
quoted Paule Rigaud, Amnesty International’s Africa deputy director, as
saying.
Rigaud added,”Forces involved in armed attacks should
avoid indiscriminate shelling at all costs, and do their utmost to
prevent civilian casualties. Today, the town of Diabaly, 400 -kilometre
north of the capital, Bamako, was captured from the Malian army by
Islamist armed groups.”
“In a marked intensification of the intervention, the
French army bombed positions in the north, in Gao and Kidal, on January
13. At least six civilians were reportedly killed during the fighting
for control of the town of Konna on January 11 and 12.
“The international community has a responsibility to prevent a fresh surge in abuses during this new phase of the conflict.
“Amnesty International is calling for the
international community to support the immediate deployment of human
rights monitors, with particular attention given to the use of child
soldiers, children’s rights, gender, and protection of civilians.
“Reports have indicated that the Islamist groups have
been using child soldiers, and that some of them have been wounded and
possibly killed in the conflict.
“Amnesty International is urging French forces in
Mali to give as much advance warning as possible to civilians, and calls
on the armed groups to not put military targets near civilian objects.
Armed forces are bound by international humanitarian law to take all
necessary precautions to minimise harm to civilians.
The organisation is also calling on the Islamist
armed groups not to harm any of the 13 hostages they are holding, among
whom are six French and four Algerian nationals.
The Amnesty International statement also noted,
“Since Islamist groups gained control of Mali’s north in April 2012,
they have committed widespread and grave human rights abuses,
introducing amputations, flogging, and stoning to death for those who
oppose their interpretation of Islam.
“At the request of Mali’s government, France has deployed since January 11, some 550 soldiers in Mali under “Operation Serval.”
On December 20, 2012, The UN Security Council
authorised an African-led force to “use all necessary measures” to take
back northern Mali from “terrorist, extremist and armed groups.”
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Islamiya is a religion of peace.They don't fight o,but they can throw bombs.
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