Malian govt denies French newspaper's story on alleged shooting of soldier at Presidential Palace

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian transition government has denied a story published on Friday in the French newspaper, Libération, which claimed that Captain Souleymane Traoré, aide-de-camp to the junta leader, Colonel Assimi Goïta, was shot and injured as he left the presidential palace of Koulouba, in Bamako, on 2 November.

The story claimed that Captain Traoré was wounded in the chest.

However, the government has rubbished the story saying that no shots were fired at the Presidential Palace and described the claim as "a lie aimed at destabilising the transitional government". 

A statement signed by the interim Prime Minister and government spokesperson, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, on Friday said the French newspaper had continued "the subversive activities of the French media, citing France 24 and Radio France Internationale, which are banned in Mali.

The government condemned "this unprofessional, desperate, shameless and immoral manoeuvre" of the French newspaper.

The government said it reserved the right to take legal action against "the authors of these lies", and urged the population to remain calm.

-0- PANA GT/JSG/BBA/MA 12Nov2022