Mali and Mauritania agreed on Saturday to try to elucidate together the disappearance of several Mauritanians on Malian territory, which caused tension in Nouakchott when the Malian junta, under international pressure, was trying to strengthen ties.
Read alsoMauritania accuses the Malian army of "recurrent" crimes against its nationals
The two countries have agreed on the creation of a joint fact-finding mission, which "
will begin its work as soon as possible
", indicates a joint communiqué issued after a two-day visit during which a high-level Malian delegation worked to smooth things over.
The statement does not say whether the Malian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop was received or not by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.
A diplomat said on condition of anonymity that this had not been the case, despite Bamako's request.
Mauritania raised its voice against its neighbor on Tuesday by accusing its army of "recurrent criminal acts" on its soil against Mauritanians, following the disappearance of a number of them in the border area.
The events that occurred on March 5 and 6 in the Malian town of El-Attaye remain obscure.
But sound recordings circulating on social networks, attributed to eyewitnesses but not authenticated, mentioned the disappearance of about thirty Mauritanians.
A deputy spoke of at least 15 dead.
Already in January, seven Mauritanians had been killed in the area.
At the time, the question of a possible involvement of Malian soldiers was also raised.
The Mauritanian delegation stressed that Mauritanians were “
victims on Malian territory of unacceptable tragic assassinations and abuses
,” the joint statement said.
The Malian side expressed its “
deep regrets
”.
Speaking briefly to the press, the head of Malian diplomacy insisted on the seriousness with which Bamako takes these matters.
He said he understood the excitement aroused in Mauritania, and affirmed Mali's desire that the thousands of Mauritanians on its soil can live in peace.
But "
we reiterated that our national army is not involved in these events
", he told the press.
He recognized "
a contradictory assessment
" between Bamako and Nouakchott on this issue, "
that's why this commission is set up
".
Mali has been caught in the security turmoil since 2012. In addition to the actions of armed groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State organization, inter-community violence and villainous acts, the army is regularly accused of abuses.