The 46 Ivorian troops who had been granted pardons by the head of Mali’s junta have now returned home.
The uniformed soldiers stepped off their plane around 11:40 p.m. (GMT) one by one, each waving a small Ivorian flag.
Before they entered the presidential pavilion at the airport, where their families were waiting for them, President Alassane Ouattara greeted them.
“I would like to express on behalf of the entire group our deepest gratitude for all that has been undertaken for our return home,” expressed Lieutenant Adam Kouassi, one of the soldiers previously detained by Malian authorities.
“I am delighted to see you back on Ivorian soil today. We are happy for you, happy for us, happy for your families, happy for the Nation,” exclaimed Ivorian leader Alassane Ouattara.
As President Ouattara seeks to put the diplomatic conflict behind him, tensions between the surrounding countries are easing with the pardon and the return of the troops.
“Obviously, now that this crisis is behind us, we can resume normal relations with the brother country of Mali, which needs us and which we also need. The Malians are our brothers,” added the Ivorian president.
The soldiers had previously been detained in Mali since July 2022 and sentenced to 20 years of prison for conspiracy against the government until they were pardoned.
Mali had accused them of being mercenaries, while Ivory Coast and the United Nations say they were flown in to provide routine backup security for the German contingent of the UN peacekeeping mission.
