Administrative and municipal authorities in Mali’s Yanfolila circle, Sikasso region, visited Burkinabe nationals on Thursday expelled from Guinea and received locally, AMAP reported.

The delegation said its purpose was to assess the conditions under which the arrivals are being hosted and to identify the difficulties they face.

The delegation was led by Abdallah Aziz Hamou, second deputy prefect of Yanfolila, and included Rokia Diakite Sidibe, mayor of the rural commune of Wassoulou-Balle, and Bandjougou Diawara, head of the local service for social development and the solidarity economy.

Members of the defence and security forces also took part in the visit.

According to AMAP, the Burkinabe nationals were expelled by Guinean authorities over their presumed involvement in clandestine and illegal mining activities in Guinea.

They are being hosted in Mali within the framework of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), and the arrangements reported for their stay in Yanfolila include accommodation, food, health care and security.

During the visit, Mayor Rokia Diakite Sidibe restated the commitment of municipal authorities to take all necessary measures to support the arrivals and to facilitate their return to their country of origin.