OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso: A delegation from a militant group controlling northern Mali is in Burkina Faso for talks with mediator President Blaise Compaore.
Alghabass Ag Intalla, a top official of the radical group Ansare Dine, told The Associated Press yesterday that he is in Ouagadougou as the head of a delegation meeting with Compaore, who has been appointed by the Economic Community of West African States to mediate in the Mali crisis.
Compaore is working to negotiate a resolution to the problems caused by the militants’ separation of northern Mali from the rest of the country.
Ansar Dine’s talks with Compaore come as France heads an international effort planning a military intervention to end the militants’ occupation of northern Mali. Ansar Dine is the most powerful of the groups that have seized control of northern Mali, including city of Timbuktu.
Burkina Faso has been trying to negotiate with the militants in northern Mali for a few months. In August Foreign Affairs Minister Djibrill Bassole travelled to northern Mali cities of Gao and Kidal, which are controlled by militants. In Kidal, the Burkinabe minister met with the leader of Ansar Dine, Iyad Ag Gali. The Burkina Faso envoy urged Ansar Dine to distance itself from other terrorist groups operating in northern Mali.
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Mali militants in Burkina Faso for mediation talks
Mali militants in Burkina Faso for mediation talks
Ex-Philippine leader Duterte to face ICC hearing Feb 23
THE HAGUE: Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte will face a hearing at the International Criminal Court next month, judges ruled on Monday, rejecting arguments the 80-year-old was unfit to take part.
Duterte will face a so-called “confirmation of charges” hearing starting February 23, where judges decide whether the prosecution’s allegations are strong enough to proceed to trial.
“Having regard to the relevant legal principles, the medical assessment of the independent experts... and all of the relevant circumstances of the case, the Chamber was satisfied that Mr.Duterte is able effectively to exercise his procedural rights,” the court said.
Duterte is “therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings,” the ICC added.
ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his “war on drugs.”
The first count concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while Duterte was mayor of Davao City.
The second count relates to 14 murders of so-called “High Value Targets” in 2016 and 2017 when Duterte was president.
And the third charge is about 43 murders committed during “clearance” operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers.
These took place across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018, the prosecution alleged.
In October, the court had already rejected a defense plea for early release, arguing he posed a flight risk and could be in a position to influence witnesses if freed.
Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11, flown to the Netherlands that same night and has been held at the ICC’s detention unit at Scheveningen Prison since.
He followed his initial hearing by video link, appearing dazed and frail and barely speaking.
Duterte will face a so-called “confirmation of charges” hearing starting February 23, where judges decide whether the prosecution’s allegations are strong enough to proceed to trial.
“Having regard to the relevant legal principles, the medical assessment of the independent experts... and all of the relevant circumstances of the case, the Chamber was satisfied that Mr.Duterte is able effectively to exercise his procedural rights,” the court said.
Duterte is “therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings,” the ICC added.
ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his “war on drugs.”
The first count concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while Duterte was mayor of Davao City.
The second count relates to 14 murders of so-called “High Value Targets” in 2016 and 2017 when Duterte was president.
And the third charge is about 43 murders committed during “clearance” operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers.
These took place across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018, the prosecution alleged.
In October, the court had already rejected a defense plea for early release, arguing he posed a flight risk and could be in a position to influence witnesses if freed.
Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11, flown to the Netherlands that same night and has been held at the ICC’s detention unit at Scheveningen Prison since.
He followed his initial hearing by video link, appearing dazed and frail and barely speaking.
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