Tuesday, December 14, 2010

This according to Al Jazeera:

Senegal has recalled its ambassador to Iran over an arms scandal in which military-grade weapons were shipped into the region allegedly bound for neighbouring Gambia.

Madicke Niang, the Senegalese foreign minister, made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday, saying the explanations Iran had given for the affair were "not satisfactory".

"True to the need for peace and security which should guide ties between states, and deeming unsatisfactory the explanations provided by the Iranian side in this affair, Senegal has decided to recall its ambassador to Iran for consultations as of today," the statement said.

Senegalese analysts have said the arms may have been bound for Senegal's restive southern Casamance region, where rebels have waged a low-level uprising against the government since 1983.

The Senegalese move comes just one day after Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian foreign minister, was sacked while on a two-day visit to the West African state, partly to explain the affair.

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