A French sniper carries his weapon at the Mali air force base near Bamako January 19, 2013. (Reuters)
After Crushing Mali Islamists, France Pushes Deal With Tuaregs -- Reuters
(Reuters) - After winning adulation across Mali for a five month military offensive that crushed al Qaeda fighters, France is now frustrating some of its allies by pushing for a political settlement with a separate group of Tuareg rebels.
A standoff over how to restore Malian government authority to Kidal, the last town in the desert north yet to be brought under central control, is sowing resentment with Paris and could delay planned elections to restore democracy after a coup.
Mali's army has moved troops towards Kidal, a stronghold of the MNLA Tuareg separatists, but missed a self-imposed deadline this week to retake the Saharan town. France, which has its own forces camped outside, does not want Malian troops to march on the town, fearing ethnic bloodshed if it is taken by force.
Read more ....
More News On The Post-Conflict Situation In Mali
Talks to Resume With Mali Government, Tuaregs -- AP
France Seeks Tuareg Inclusion to Malian Government’s Chagrin -- Atlantic Sentinel
France accused of favouring Mali's Tuareg rebels -- Global Post/AFP
Mali leader says Tuareg rebels 'ready for talks' -- AFP
France to keep 1,000 troops in Mali indefinitely -- The Telegraph
US to train African troops in Niger for service in Mali -- Digital Journal
EU military chief ‘confident’ about Mali troop training -- Al Arabiya
A devastated Timbuktu faces threats as it strains to rebuild -- Seattle Times/Washington Post
Mali: The Tuareg Rebellion, Islamist Takeover, and French Intervention -- Hari Ravichandran, The Vector
No comments:
Post a Comment