Though France was expected to withdraw its troops from Mali by the end of March, French President Francois Hollande updated the timetable and said the troops would be halved to 2,000 by July and then cut again to 1,000 by the end of the year. There are more than 4,000 French troops in Mali in [...]
Al-Qaida Strategy in North Africa Revealed in Document Found in Mali
February 15, 2013 | Posted by
After Islamist rebels were driven back into the mountains of northern Mali by combined French and African forces, a fascinating trove of documents the rebels left behind paint a picture of the rigid Islamist court they instituted to oversee the lives of Malians. One recovered letter from an Islamist leader scolds the rebels for the [...]
French Ground Forces to Leave Mali in March, After Successful Mission
February 6, 2013 | Posted by
France’s military mission in Mali has been so successful at driving back Islamist militants — killing hundreds in the process — that the French are now predicting their ground troops will leave Mali in March and hand security over to forces from Mali and other African nations. French troops entered Mali on Jan. 11, using [...]
French President Hollande in Mali, Gets Hero’s Welcome
February 3, 2013 | Posted by
While his popularity has been lagging in France, French president Francois Hollande was welcomed like a conquering hero in Mali after French troops successfully routed Islamist rebels from the major Mali cities and pushed them to the mountains in the northeast. Hollande surprised the world when he sent more than 2,000 French troops to Mali [...]
Islamist Rebels Fleeing Timbuktu Burn Priceless Scientific Manuscripts
January 29, 2013 | Posted by
It is what conservators, archivists and researchers have feared. As Malian troops, supported by the French military, advanced on the fabled city of Timbuktu in northern Mali, retreating Islamist rebels have set fire to the Ahmed Baba Institute and a warehouse containing valuable scientific manuscripts dating back to medieval times. The Ahmed Baba Institute housed [...]
French-Led Malian Forces Move to Recapture Timbuktu
January 28, 2013 | Posted by
In a matter of weeks, Malian forces led by French troops are on the cusp of regaining control of northern Mali previously seized by Islamist rebels. France entered the conflict just two weeks ago, and already the rebels have been pushed back on their heels, as the campaign reaches the famed city of Timbuktu. France [...]
Mali Army Fires on Rebels on Eve of Peace Talks
January 8, 2013 | Posted by
The situation in Mali appeared on the brink of possible resolution when rebels agreed to engage in peace talks to be held on Thursday. But that hope is dissipating as Malian soldiers were forced to fire warning shots today as rebels began to move south to advance on them. On the eve of the peace [...]
Tourism in Mali Collapses as Rebels Wreak Havoc
January 5, 2013 | Posted by
As the world hears reports of political instability in countries such as Mali, most of the coverage focuses on armed conflicts, people fleeing their homes and governments being toppled, but not enough attention has been given to an equally important sector of the Malian economy: Tourism. The religious-based campaign waged by Islamist rebels put them [...]
Islamic Rebels Destroy Historic Mausoleums in Timbuktu, Mali
December 24, 2012 | Posted by
Just days after the United Nations approved the training of a force of West African soldiers to try to retake Mali, the Islamic rebels showed their contempt and disregard for the UN action by continuing their destruction of historic mausoleums in Timbuktu. The rebels claim that the mausoleums are an affront to Allah and they [...]
U.S., France Considering Moving In to Mali to Stabilize Govt.
October 24, 2012 | Posted by
The situation in northern Mali has gotten so severe that the United States is reportedly in talks with France to take steps to bring the region back under the control of the country’s central government. France has begun sending in drones to do surveillance missions in northern Mali because it is extremely remote. Pentagon officials [...]
