French-led forces retake key north Mali town
The seizure of Gao, the most populated town in Mali's northern region, which is roughly the size of Texas, was announced by the French defence ministry and confirmed by Malian security sources.Gao, along with Kidal and Timbuktu, were seized by an alliance of Tuareg rebels and Islamists last April.The French and African forces are in 100 percent control of the town of Gao," another Malian security source said. "There is popular rejoicing and everyone is very happy."Other soldiers from Chad and Niger meanwhile were moving toward the Malian border from the Niger town of Ouallam, which lies about 100 kilometres southeast of Gao.
Extremist militants quickly sidelined the Tuaregs and imposed their harsh interpretation of Islamic sharia law.which neighbours Mali but is not a member of the Economic Community of West African States raising that force, has separately promised 2,000 soldiers.A fraction of the African forces has arrived in Bamako, the Malian capital in the south of the country, and is slowly deploying elsewhere. So far, however, French and Malian forces have done all the fighting.Other soldiers from Chad and Niger meanwhile were moving toward the Malian border from the Niger town of Ouallam, which lies about 100 kilometres southeast of Gao.It has already deployed 2,500 soldiers on the ground in Mali as well as launching air strikes.
There was no official death toll from the offensive, but the French army said "dozens" of Islamist fighters were killed in the overnight operations, without any casualties on the French and Malian side.After a punishing series of air strikes on jihadist positions in Gao, Malian and French forces took first the airport and then the bridge over the river Niger, before being able to confirm they had taken control of the whole of the town.
The French are confident that this phase of the campaign will soon be over, adds our correspondent, though of course the vast desert hinterland offers the Islamists endless opportunities to retreat and regroup.
The town was previously a stronghold of Islamist fighters after it was seized by an alliance of Tuareg rebels and Islamists last April.President Barack Obama has expressed clear support for the French operation.
The seizure of Gao, the most populated town in Mali's northern region, which is roughly the size of Texas, was announced by the French defence ministry and confirmed by Malian security sources.Gao, along with Kidal and Timbuktu, were seized by an alliance of Tuareg rebels and Islamists last April.The French and African forces are in 100 percent control of the town of Gao," another Malian security source said. "There is popular rejoicing and everyone is very happy."Other soldiers from Chad and Niger meanwhile were moving toward the Malian border from the Niger town of Ouallam, which lies about 100 kilometres southeast of Gao.
Extremist militants quickly sidelined the Tuaregs and imposed their harsh interpretation of Islamic sharia law.which neighbours Mali but is not a member of the Economic Community of West African States raising that force, has separately promised 2,000 soldiers.A fraction of the African forces has arrived in Bamako, the Malian capital in the south of the country, and is slowly deploying elsewhere. So far, however, French and Malian forces have done all the fighting.Other soldiers from Chad and Niger meanwhile were moving toward the Malian border from the Niger town of Ouallam, which lies about 100 kilometres southeast of Gao.It has already deployed 2,500 soldiers on the ground in Mali as well as launching air strikes.
There was no official death toll from the offensive, but the French army said "dozens" of Islamist fighters were killed in the overnight operations, without any casualties on the French and Malian side.After a punishing series of air strikes on jihadist positions in Gao, Malian and French forces took first the airport and then the bridge over the river Niger, before being able to confirm they had taken control of the whole of the town.
The French are confident that this phase of the campaign will soon be over, adds our correspondent, though of course the vast desert hinterland offers the Islamists endless opportunities to retreat and regroup.
The town was previously a stronghold of Islamist fighters after it was seized by an alliance of Tuareg rebels and Islamists last April.President Barack Obama has expressed clear support for the French operation.
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