No 2 general in mission to aid Mali found dead

Bamako: The UN in Mali says the No. 2 general in command of the current international support mission there has been found dead in his hotel room. A statement released yesterday said that Gen. Yaya Seyni Garba likely died from a heart attack. Damian Cardon, a communications adviser for MINUSMA, said that the body of the army general from neighboring Niger was found yesterday. Niger is one of the West African countries contributing forces to the French-led mission in northern Mali. France launched its military operation in January in an effort to oust al-Qaida-linked militants from power in northern Mali. While the jihadists have fled the major towns, they continue to launch suicide bombings and other attacks in a show of force. PTI