A Malian army helicopter fired several rockets “close to” British members of a UN peacekeeping force in the country, the UK Ministry of Defence and the UN said.
The incident was the first of its kind between Mali, backed by Russian forces, and UN peacekeepers, a UN source told AFP.
“We are aware of a recent incident in Mali in which rockets were fired by a Malian Armed Forces helicopter close to a detachment of UK personnel,” an MoD spokesman said.
“All UK personnel are safe and accounted for, and the circumstances surrounding this incident are being investigated,” he said.
It took place in the area of Tessit, near Gao city, about 950 kilometres north-east of Bamako, the capital.
According to a diplomatic document seen by AFP, the Malian army helicopter fired six rockets.
The document said almost all Malian helicopters are flown by Russians with Malian co-pilots.
The statement questioned whether several contingents of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma) could remain if Russian troops were involved.
Last week, Richard Mills, the US deputy ambassador to the UN, criticised an “unacceptable” incident on March 22, when a Malian helicopter “fired rockets near peacekeepers in eastern Mali".
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Tuesday said an investigation into the events was under way.
A team from the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan is ready to go to Moura in central Mali as soon as the authorities allow access by air to the area, he said.
According to another diplomat, paramilitaries from the Russian company Wagner are suspected to have been involved in this incident alongside the Malian army.
France and other western nations denounced the Malian authorities' alleged use of the Russian private security group. The Malian authorities said they do not use mercenaries.
Mali a hotbed of extremism
Mali is the epicentre of an insurgency that began in the north in 2012 and spread three years later to neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.
Thousands of people across the region have died, and about two million have been displaced.
Attacks have been carried out by groups claiming affiliation with Al Qaeda or ISIS, but many civilian casualties have also been caused by so-called self-defence forces.
Minusma arrived in the sub-Sahara state in 2013.
It has 16,500 personnel, mostly troops, plus police and civilians, according to its website.
The UN said the mission has suffered the most fatalities of any of its peacekeeping operations, with hostile acts resulting in 159 deaths as of October 31.
Mali's army has been accused of carrying out a massacre in the central town of Moura in March, with the participation of Wagner mercenaries.
Human Rights Watch said Malian forces and foreign fighters killed 300 civilians in Moura, in what it called “the worst single atrocity reported in Mali's decade-long armed conflict".
Minusma's mandate ends in June. Several contributor countries are reviewing their troops' participation in the light of recent developments in Mali.
The EU on Monday decided to halt its military training missions in Mali but will keep a presence in the sub-Sahara.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The specs: 2019 Mini Cooper
Price, base: Dh141,740 (three-door) / Dh165,900 (five-door)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder (Cooper) / 2.0-litre four-cylinder (Cooper S)
Power: 136hp @ 4,500rpm (Cooper) / 192hp @ 5,000rpm (Cooper S)
Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Company%20Profile
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Company%20profile
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Hamilton’s 2017
Australia - 2nd; China - 1st; Bahrain - 2nd; Russia - 4th; Spain - 1st; Monaco - 7th; Canada - 1st; Azerbaijan - 5th; Austria - 4th; Britain - 1st; Hungary - 4th; Belgium - 1st; Italy - 1st; Singapore - 1st; Malaysia - 2nd; Japan - 1st; United States - 1st; Mexico - 9th
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
