32 militiamen arrested in Malian capital Bamako

As many as 32 militiamen were arrested when taking training in the Malian capital Bamako, the West African country's security sources said at the weekend. The trainees at Sokorodji belong to a self-defense militia group "the Youth Action to Save the North." They were taken to the National Police Training School for verification after detained by security personnel. Mali's Security Minister Tiefing Konate on Friday said they were arrested at around 1:00 a.m. (local time). "The security minister would wish to inform the public that the safety of people with their property as well as the defense of territorial integrity are a sacred duty of the state," a statement from the ministry said. "In this regard, no parallel initiative which intends to substitute the armed and security forces will be tolerated," the statement added. On Tuesday, the brothers and friends of Mahamadou Diouara, who is the head of "the Youth Action to Save the North", said he had been abducted on the night of Aug. 24 by a group of 30 armed men. Northern Mali fell into the hands of rebels soon after the March 22 military coup.