Traoré

French first lady tells of 'huge' feelings for Mali

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:45:52 +0000

Agence France-Presse

France's first lady Valerie Trierweiler said at the end of a 48-hour tour of war-torn Mali on Friday that the experience had brought up "huge" feelings in her.

President Francois Hollande's partner, in the former French colony as "part of a mission for children and women", has visited hospital patients and school children, highlighting the important role of female soldiers in securing peace.

"I'll never forget (this trip) because what I felt was truly huge," she told a press conference before returning to Paris on Friday night.

France's first lady visits Mali's war-torn north

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:46:34 +0000

Agence France-Presse

France's first lady Valerie Trierweiler began a tour of Mali on Thursday with a visit to Gao, one of several northern cities liberated by a French-led military operation against an Islamist occupation.

President Francois Hollande's partner, on a 48-hour trip as "part of a mission for children and women", highlighted the role of female soldiers in securing the north for the former French colony as part of Operation Serval.

France's first lady arrives in Mali

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:15:04 +0000

Agence France-Presse

France's first lady Valerie Trierweiler arrived in Mali late Wednesday for a tour of the war-torn nation described as "part of a mission for children and women".

Upon arrival at Bamako airport the partner of President Francois Hollande said her presence was "a very good symbol" as her husband and the Malian leader attended a donors conference in Brussels Wednesday.

At the Brussels meeting, international donors pledged a bigger than expected 3.25 billion euros to help the former French colony recover after Islamist rebels nearly overran the troubled country.

Mali president will do utmost to ensure polls on July 28

Agence France-Presse — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:05:45 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Mali interim President Dioncounda Traore said Tuesday he will do his utmost to ensure that national elections, a key goal of the troubled country's backers, take place as planned on July 28.

"We will do everything so that the elections can begin on July 28," Traore said, noting that he would be a candidate. "Failure to hold the elections would cause even more problems," he added.

jri/aje/bmm/ric

CORRECTED: Mali President will do utmost to ensure polls on July 28

Agence France-Presse — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:31:08 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Mali interim President Dioncounda Traore said Tuesday he will do his utmost to ensure that national elections, a key goal of the troubled country's backers, take place as planned on July 28.

"We will do everything so that the elections can begin on July 28,"Traore said, noting that he would not be a candidate. "Failure to hold the elections would cause even more problems," he added.

jri/aje/bmm/mfp

Mali troops hunt for rebels after Timbuktu clash

Thomson Reuters — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 12:45:17 +0000

Thomson Reuters

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Malian troops searched house-to-house in Timbuktu on Monday morning following hours of fighting with Islamist rebels who had infiltrated the northern desert town.

Residents said calm had returned by late Sunday after heavy clashes and airstrikes by French fighter jets backing the Malian troops forced them to shelter indoors.

The fighting reflected the difficulty of securing Mali after a French intervention in January that pushed the rebels out of their northern strongholds.

German defence minister urges Mali troops to ensure security

Agence France-Presse — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:15:46 +0000

Agence France-Presse

German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere on a visit to Mali Monday stressed that it was up to the Malian army to ensure security in the nation, after French and African troops have driven Islamist rebels out of their northern strongholds.

"There will only be a good development of the situation, in a lasting way, if the Malian military forces themselves ensure security," he said after meeting with Mali's interim President Dioncounda Traore.

During his visit De Maiziere met with German soldiers deployed to support French and African troops fighting the Islamist extremists.

Malian private media strike over editor's detention

Thomson Reuters — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:30:49 +0000

Thomson Reuters

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Private media in Mali have launched a news blackout until authorities free the editor of a newspaper detained last week after publishing an open letter criticising the leader of last year's military coup in the West African state.

Most private media have observed the strike, which began on Tuesday, to protest the detention of the editor of Le Republicain, Boukary Daou, on March 6. He has yet to be officially charged with any crime.

Mali defends rights record against UN abuse claims

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:45:24 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Mali's interim president defended the country's rights record Tuesday against accusations by the United Nations that the military was guilty of atrocities against ethnic groups in the war-torn north.

Dioncounda Traore, on a visit to the neighbouring west African state of Senegal, said reprisals highlighted by a UN mission to Mali were rare but vowed that those found guilty of abuses would be hunted down and prosecuted.

"I am not aware of so many abuses," Traore told a media conference in the Senegalese capital Dakar, questioned about allegations against the Malian army.

Malian soldiers recalled over 'abuse' allegations: army

Agence France-Presse — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 01:16:16 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Malian soldiers fighting Islamists in the north of the country have been recalled from the front line after being accused of abuses, an army spokesman told the state television station ORTM late Monday.

Those responsible had been recalled and would go before the relevant legal authorities Captain Modibo Naman Traore told the station.

Traore revealed the news after being asked about reports of soldiers committing abuses against civilians in the northwest city of Timbuktu, which French and Malian forces recaptured from Islamists rebels on January 28.

Greater US military role in Mali likely after polls: senator

Agence France-Presse — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:00:51 +0000

Agence France-Presse

The United States is likely to play a more active military role in Mali, where French-led forces are battling Islamist rebels, after the country holds elections, the chair of a key Senate sub-committee said Monday.

Washington has been providing intelligence, transport and mid-air refuelling to France, which launched its intervention last month, but cannot work directly with the Malian army until a democratically elected government replaces current leaders who came to power after a coup, said Chris Coons, chair of the Senate foreign relations committee's Africa sub-committee.

Mali targets July 31 for elections -interim president

Thomson Reuters — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:15:04 +0000

Thomson Reuters

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Mali is hoping to organise elections on July 31, Mali's interim President Dioncounda Traore said on Tuesday as French and Malian forces consolidated the hold on northern towns recaptured during a two-week offensive against Islamists.

Soccer-Traore gamble pays off for Burkina Faso coach

Thomson Reuters — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:30:03 +0000

Thomson Reuters

By Mark Gleeson

NELSPRUIT, South Africa, Jan 26 (Reuters) - A gamble on the fitness of midfielder Alain Traore has already paid off for Burkina Faso at the African Nations Cup and might yet produce an even bigger jackpot.

Coach Paul Putt said he agonised over including the French-based midfielder in his 23-man squad for the tournament in South Africa as Traore battled to overcome an ankle injury.

Soccer-Mali v Niger - African Nations Cup teams

Thomson Reuters — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 18:00:21 +0000

Thomson Reuters

PORT ELIZABETH, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Teams for the African Nations Cup Group B match between Mali and Niger at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Sunday:

Mali: 1-Mamadou Samassa; 2-Fousseiny Diawara, 3-Adama Tamboura, 13-Molla Wague, 21-Mahamadou Ndiaye; 8-Kalilou Traore, 12-Seydou Keita, 17-Mahamane Traore, 7-Cheick Fantamady Diarra; 11-Sigamary Diarra, 9-Cheick Tidiane Diabate

UPDATE 1-African leaders meet to finalise Mali force

Thomson Reuters — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 14:00:44 +0000

Thomson Reuters

(Updates with French minister on troops, Diabaly situation, paras 10-15)

* Questions linger over mission's planning, financing and supplies

* Malian, French forces enter Diabaly - Mali sources

* French defence minister says no ground fighting in that town

By Joe Bavier