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Probe over killings at UN base protest

United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki Moon has ordered an investigation into violence in which three protesters were killed during a demonstration at a UN peacekeeping base in northern Mali this week.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that Mr Ban “deplores the incidents” during Tuesday’s protest in Gao in which several others were also seriously injured.

He said the UN would co-operate with all parties in the probe.

UN Mali mission spokesman Olivier Salgado said that the protesters marched on the peacekeepers’ base and began throwing rocks and petrol bombs.

When they wounded two UN police officers, UN forces responded to disperse the crowd, Mr Salgado claimed.

UN deputy special representative in Mali David Gressly claimed that the peacekeepers only fired tear gas and warning shots to disperse the crowd of about 2,000 people, but two witnesses have insisted that they saw UN troops fire live rounds at the protesters.

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