Dakar — The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has approved the setting up of an international commission of inquiry into Guinea's September 28 massacre.

Mr Ban has consequently dispatched his assistant to the West African nation on a fact-finding mission.

The UN boss said in a statement on Friday, that the commission will investigate the incident, with a view to determining those responsible for the killings.

However, he did not specify the time frame for the setting up of the commission or its duration.

Mr Ban's Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr Haile Menkerios, on Friday left New York for West Africa to consult with stakeholders and consider the modalities for establishing the commission.

Mr Menkerios will consult with the Burkina mediator in the Guinean crisis as well as with Guinean authorities and members of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and regional leaders, a statement said.

Mr Ban's move to investigate the massacre that left at least 150 dead and thousands injured, follows the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Louis Moreno Ocampo's similar initiative announced on Thursday.

Mr Ocampo said he would launch a preliminary examination on whether the events of September 28 fall under the jurisdiction of the court, which tries people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

French and American governments have already expressed serious doubts over the innocence of the junta leadership in the massacre and rape of dozens of women.

During the bloodbath, eyewitnesses said, they saw soldiers hurriedly remove corpses and bury them in an attempt to reduce the exact count of deaths.

Political tension

In his statement, Mr Ban expressed grave concern over the rising security and political tension in Guinea since the junta leader, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, hinted that he would run for next year's presidential election in contradiction to his earlier promise.

When Capt Camara seized power on December 23, last year, he promised to rid the country of corruption and drug traffickers and set the pace for a civilian presidential election without the participation of the junta members or civilian collaborators of his government.