News
Mali troops die in ambush on convoy
At least 24 soldiers were killed and others are unaccounted for after gunmen ambushed a convoy in central Mali.
The army said eight survivors had been found following Saturday’s attack, about 60 miles (100km) from the border with Mauritania.
No group has admitted carrying out the raid but Islamist militants are active in the area.
Mali has been blighted by instability since 2012 when an Islamist rebellion broke out in the north.
Army officials said about 12 vehicles had been in the convoy and four of them were destroyed in Saturday’s ambush.
BBC Africa editor Will Ross says that with reports of soldiers missing, it is possible that the death toll could be higher than the military is admitting.
It is the biggest loss for the military since November last year when more than 50 soldiers died in an attack.
On Saturday, two United Nations (UN) peacekeepers were also killed when a logistics convoy was targeted in the north of the country. The UN has 13,000 troops in Mali.
Since 2012, Malian forces have managed, with French help, to regain control of large swathes of territory taken by militants. France has 4,500 troops deployed in the region.
But thousands of lives have been lost as Mali struggles to contain the violence, which has spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita has offered to open dialogue with the jihadists but our correspondent says there seems little hope of that working. -BBC
The Police have arrested two suspects, including the alleged gang leader, in connection with the robbery attack on the Berekum Chelsea football team that resulted in the death of one of the players.
According to a Police update, the arrests were made after intelligence-led operations by security personnel.
One of the suspects sustained gunshot wounds during an exchange of fire with the police.
He has since been taken to a hospital where he is receiving medical treatment, while the other suspect remains in police custody assisting with investigations.
The Police indicated that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang linked to the attack.
They assured the public that more details will be provided as investigations progress.
By: Jacob Aggrey
President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in Brazzaville to attend the investiture ceremony of Denis Sassou N’Guesso.
The ceremony follows the re-election of President Sassou N’Guesso for another five year term as leader of the Republic of the Congo.
President Mahama travelled to Brazzaville shortly after launching his Free Primary Healthcare Programme in Dodowa.
He is expected to return to Accra after the ceremony scheduled for Thursday morning.
By: Jacob Aggrey
