The killing of former Lesotho Defense Force Commander (Statement by Foreign Press Secretary Kawamura)

By Japan - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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TOKYO, Japan, July 9, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- 1. On June 25 in the Kingdom of Lesotho, former Lesotho Defence Force Commander Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao was killed by a group of soldiers. Due to the resulting political and security turmoil, the leaders of all opposition parties, including former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, evacuated the country. The Government of Japan denounces the killing of former Commander Brigadier Mahao, and expresses its condolences to the bereaved family and its concerns about the political and security situations in Lesotho.

2. On July 3 in Pretoria, South Africa, an Extraordinary Summit meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held to discuss the Lesotho issue, and South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was re-appointed as the SADC facilitator to Lesotho. The Government of Japan expects for the early recovery of the political and security situations in Lesotho by the regional efforts, including by Deputy President Ramaphosa.