Africa News
Reports: ECOWAS leaders' plane turned back from Mali
Mar 29, 2012, 12:42 GMT
Dakar - A plane carrying four African presidents charged with mediation talks in Mali, following last week's coup, returned to Ivory Coast on Thursday after failing to land in Bamako, Malian radio reported.
The ECOWAS delegation, headed by Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara, was due in the Malian capital for talks with Captain Amadou Sanogo, who led a military putsch last Thursday.
Radio reports did not explain why the plane was turned back to Ivory Coast's economic capital Abidjan.
Thousands of protesters gathered at Bamako airport early Thursday, demonstrating against the arrival of the delegation.
Earlier this week ECOWAS suspended Mali from the group and said it would 'take all necessary measures to end the rebellion and secure the territorial integrity of Mali, including the use of force.'
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