Mali evacuates nearly 49,000 gold miners expelled from Guinea in four days
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on La Nouvelle Tribune
Malian authorities transferred nearly 49,000 people between 5 and 8 November, after illegal gold miners were expelled from Guinea. On 8 November, 49 Malian lorries and 24 buses took about 11,000 people to Burkina Faso, while 49 Burkinabè buses brought back 2,880, according to the Interministerial Committee for Crisis and Disaster Management (CECOGEC).
Malian authorities announced the transfer of nearly 49,000 people between 5 and 8 November, after illegal gold miners were expelled from Guinea. The figures are given in a statement published on 9 November by the Interministerial Committee for Crisis and Disaster Management (CECOGEC).
According to CECOGEC, arrivals have fallen slightly in the Bamako district. Several localities are nonetheless still recording them: Yanfolila, Sélingué and Kalana, in the Bougouni region, as well as Kéniéba and other areas of the Kayes region.
On 8 November, Mali mobilised nearly 49 lorries and 24 buses to carry about 11,000 people to Burkina Faso. Burkinabè authorities deployed 49 buses for the return of about 2,880 people. At Kouremalé, a locality on the border with Guinea, 15 lorries were used for the return operations. In addition, 182 people were transferred from Kéniéba to Bamako. The crisis management plan includes a health component, with many health facilities mobilised to treat the expelled gold miners.
These figures add to the 160,000 arrivals recorded from Guinea and follow the repatriation by lorry to Burkina Faso, reported on 10 November. On 7 November, six deaths were reported among those expelled.
