Published: June 14, 2013 at 10:06 AM
PARIS
June 14, 2013 - UPI - Two French soldiers (click here) were wounded this week in clashes with Islamic militants in Mali, France's defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said Friday.
Le Drian did not say where the clashes occurred in the West African country.
"There are still some incidents [in Mali], since this week there were two wounded among the French special forces," he told Radio France Internationale.
Le Drian said most of Mali has been pacified but "we have to be extremely vigilant about sporadic elements."
There are about 3,500 French troops in Mali. The number is to be reduced to 2,000 by the end of the summer and 1,000 by the end of the year, Le Drian said.
Al Qaeda is not in the heart of every person in Africa, north or south. I think the French are doing fine. This isn't the first time France has been involved in Africa. It is sort of their regular territory. They keep an eye on things and intervene if it gets out of control. I don't think there is so much instability there needs to be a huge movement of military into the region. That type of activity in these small nations only raises fears and drives people to al Qaeda rather than the other way around.
These nations are not big huge militarized nations like the USA. I think the more control the nations of Africa have over their affairs the better the outcome for the world, actually. I fully endorse the current USA effort to stabilize the nations of Africa by allowing them to find their way to peaceful existence within their continent.
Latest update: 05/06/2013
By France 24
“Our troops have taken Anefis this morning after intense fighting,” army spokesman Colonel Souleymane Maiga said.
Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, Paris-based spokesman for rebel group MNLA (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad), said in a statement that MNLA forces were fighting Malian soldiers in Anefis, but did not provide further details.
An army source quoted by AFP said that ten Tuareg rebels and two Malian soldiers were killed in the fighting.
Another army officer said rebel fighters had abandoned their vehicles and fled Anefis, heading towards Kidal....
Ethnic cleansing
...His government has accused MNLA guards of ethnic cleansing in the region.
“The government must protect the citizens of Kidal – just a few days ago nearly 200 people were arrested by the MNLA just because they are black,” he said.
The sudden drive to reclaim the rebels’ last bastion comes as the government prepares for national elections, hoped to be held next month....
No negotiating
...France said it supported the Malian government’s efforts to reestablish its presence in the whole of Mali.
“There can only be and should only be one army in Mali and it must be able to be deployed in every part of the country,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
“That is why we call on all armed groups to lay down their weapons and pursue peace talks with Malian authorities,” it said.
The MNLA was not targeted by the French offensive and has since been able to retake some areas, including Kidal. But this has strained relations between France and the transitional government in the southern capital, Bamako....
PARIS
June 14, 2013 - UPI - Two French soldiers (click here) were wounded this week in clashes with Islamic militants in Mali, France's defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said Friday.
Le Drian did not say where the clashes occurred in the West African country.
"There are still some incidents [in Mali], since this week there were two wounded among the French special forces," he told Radio France Internationale.
Le Drian said most of Mali has been pacified but "we have to be extremely vigilant about sporadic elements."
There are about 3,500 French troops in Mali. The number is to be reduced to 2,000 by the end of the summer and 1,000 by the end of the year, Le Drian said.
Al Qaeda is not in the heart of every person in Africa, north or south. I think the French are doing fine. This isn't the first time France has been involved in Africa. It is sort of their regular territory. They keep an eye on things and intervene if it gets out of control. I don't think there is so much instability there needs to be a huge movement of military into the region. That type of activity in these small nations only raises fears and drives people to al Qaeda rather than the other way around.
These nations are not big huge militarized nations like the USA. I think the more control the nations of Africa have over their affairs the better the outcome for the world, actually. I fully endorse the current USA effort to stabilize the nations of Africa by allowing them to find their way to peaceful existence within their continent.
Latest update: 05/06/2013
By France 24
Malian soldiers (click here) have launched a deadly assault on armed Tuareg rebels near their northern stronghold of Kidal, in the first clashes between the two since a French-led offensive to drive al Qaeda-linked groups from northern Mali.
Malian troops seized a village after heavy fighting with Tuareg separatists on Wednesday and are advancing towards the town of Kidal, the last rebel stronghold, the army said.“Our troops have taken Anefis this morning after intense fighting,” army spokesman Colonel Souleymane Maiga said.
Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, Paris-based spokesman for rebel group MNLA (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad), said in a statement that MNLA forces were fighting Malian soldiers in Anefis, but did not provide further details.
An army source quoted by AFP said that ten Tuareg rebels and two Malian soldiers were killed in the fighting.
Another army officer said rebel fighters had abandoned their vehicles and fled Anefis, heading towards Kidal....
Ethnic cleansing
...His government has accused MNLA guards of ethnic cleansing in the region.
“The government must protect the citizens of Kidal – just a few days ago nearly 200 people were arrested by the MNLA just because they are black,” he said.
The sudden drive to reclaim the rebels’ last bastion comes as the government prepares for national elections, hoped to be held next month....
No negotiating
...France said it supported the Malian government’s efforts to reestablish its presence in the whole of Mali.
“There can only be and should only be one army in Mali and it must be able to be deployed in every part of the country,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
“That is why we call on all armed groups to lay down their weapons and pursue peace talks with Malian authorities,” it said.
The MNLA was not targeted by the French offensive and has since been able to retake some areas, including Kidal. But this has strained relations between France and the transitional government in the southern capital, Bamako....
