In a communiqué issued Friday, the authorities also condemned the hostage-taking and seizing of administrative buildings in Kidal between May 17 and 21, 2014 and reaffirmed their determination to actively combat the threats posed by terrorism to regional and international peace and security.

According to the Liberia News Agency, the ECOWAS position was contained in a Final Communique of the end of the Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments held on May 30, 2014 in Accra, Ghana.

The Heads of State further expressed deep concern over the recent deterioration in the security situation in the Kidal region as well as over the bloody and recurrent attacks perpetrated particularly by the Boko Haram sect in parts of northern Nigeria.

The ECOWAS leaders said they believe that the assassination of defenseless civil servants in the performance of their duties constitutes a flagrant and deliberate violation of the Ouagadougou Agreement.

They expressed solidarity with Mali and Nigeria and requested that perpetrators of these atrocities be identified and punished according to the law.

The Heads of State a paid tribute to members of the Malian Defense and Security Forces as well as civilians killed during these recent events, and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
LINA HVW/JGT/TSS/PTK