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French troops hand over weapons seized from Mali rebels

March 30, 2013 10:15
French forces in Mali on Saturday began handing over to government troops seven tonnes of weapons seized from former jihadist bases in the northeastern Ifoghas mountains. The Mali army took delivery of a first batch of around three tonnes in the main French military base in Gao, the largest city in the northern half of the country which Islamist groups occupied for nine months. "Only 15 to 20 percent of what has been found is being handed over and can be safely reused," a lieutenant-colonel from France's engineering corps told AFP in Gao.

Mali rebels appoint town chief in show of strength

March 28, 2013 09:01
A rebel group seeking independence in northern Mali said on Thursday it had appointed an "administrator" to Kidal in a show of strength after French-led troops liberated the town from an Islamist occupation. The Tuareg National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad (MNLA) told AFP that Mohamed Ali Ag Albessaty, previously a local government functionary, would serve as its top official for Kidal. "We have appointed an administrator to manage the city of Kidal," Mohamed Ag Mamoud, an MNLA leader, told AFP from the town of Tessalit, near the Algerian border.

U.N.'s Ban recommends African troops in Mali become peacekeepers

March 26, 2013 15:46
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - An African force currently in Mali should be converted into a U.N. peacekeeping operation and a separate combat force should be created to confront Islamist threats, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recommended to the Security Council on Tuesday. The U.N.-backed African force in Mali is due to take over from France when it starts withdrawing its 4,000 troops from the country in late April.

Northern Mali clashes kill 7 after Islamist 'attack'

March 24, 2013 12:24
Clashes between the Malian army and Islamists killed seven people Sunday, including a soldier and two civilians, military sources said, after militants infiltrated northern Mali's largest city, Gao. The fighting took place as the Malian army carried out what it called a "clean-up" operation after Islamist militants opened fire on an army camp in Gao overnight. "A Malian soldier, four Islamists and two civilians were killed Sunday during exchanges of gunfire between the Malian army and Islamists," an African security source told AFP in Gao.

Malian army repels Islamist attack on northern town of Gao

March 23, 2013 20:30
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali's army repulsed an attack by a group of Islamist rebels who had slipped past army checkpoints to enter the northern Malian town of Gao, a military official said on Saturday. The Malian army official said government forces had defeated the Islamists after more than two hours of intense fighting. The clashes took place after Gao residents reported a group of Islamists entering their neighbourhood.

Five Malians killed in ambush blamed on Tuareg: army

March 22, 2013 16:31
Five people were killed in an ambush by armed men in central Mali, the military said on Friday, blaming the attack on ethnic Tuareg separatist rebels. The army said "elements of" the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) attacked two vehicles, killing and discarding the bodies of five occupants of one vehicle before forcing passengers in the other to strip naked. "We strongly condemn these barbaric attacks that show the true face of MNLA," armed forces spokesman Souleymane Maiga told AFP.

U.N. condemns Mali rights abuses, to step up monitoring

March 21, 2013 16:30
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations condemned human rights crimes committed in northern Mali by "rebels, terrorist groups and other organised transnational crime networks" and agreed to appoint an independent monitor for the West African country. The 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council adopted a resolution brought by Gabon on behalf of African states without a vote on Thursday that also called for free and transparent elections in Mali, which is fighting an Islamist insurgency in the north.

UN creates expert mission to boost Mali rights

March 21, 2013 14:30
The United Nations will appoint an independent expert to investigate and help improve the human rights situation in war-torn Mali, the UN Human Rights Council decided Thursday. The 47 members of the UN's top human rights body approved the resolution presented by Gabon on behalf of the African group of nations by consensus, clearing the way for an expert to spend one year working to protect and promote human rights in Mali.

France appoints new envoy to conflict-torn Mali

March 21, 2013 09:16
France on Thursday appointed a new ambassador to Mali, the foreign ministry said, amid a French-backed military intervention against Islamist rebels in the west African nation. Gilles Huberson will replace Christian Rouyer, foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said, adding that it was in the framework of a routine reshuffle of French diplomatic posts in Africa.

France recalls Mali ambassador: diplomatic source

March 21, 2013 07:16
France has recalled its ambassador to Mali after he reportedly fell out with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, a diplomatic source in the west African nation told AFP on Thursday. Christian Rouyer, an outspoken advocate for the French military intervention to drive Islamist militants from northern Mali, had been in the role since 2011 but was said to be in disagreement with Fabius. "We have just learned that the French ambassador in Bamako was recalled by his country before the end of his mission," the source said.
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