Government investigates clash between communities

A delegation from Mali's Ministry of Territorial Administration has travelled to the central region of Mopti to investigate clashes between two communities in which at least four people died, a ministerial source told IRIN on Thursday.

The violence erupted on 25 December between inhabitants of the neighbouring villages of Saoua and Berdossou in Mopti, who have been at loggerheads over the location of the area's local government office, media organisations reported on Thursday.

"The team left Bamako on Wednesday to look into the causes of the violence, which seemed to be politically motivated," the source said. "The clashes left four people dead and three wounded on the side of Berdossou." He did not know the casualty figures for Saoua.

Reuters quoted an interior ministry official as saying that the dispute started a year ago when the mayor of the district, made up of about 30 villages, decided to move the local council office to Saoua, his village, whereas legal documents said it should be in Berdossou. Last week's clash came after some of the mayor's supporters tried to upgrade roads leading to Saoua through land used by residents of other villages opposed to the move, Reuters said.

Calm has been restored to the area, to which troops were sent to maintain law and order, Reuters and RFI reported.