Another Major Jihadist Attack On An Army BAse In Mali

Al Jazeera: Attackers kill 12 Mali soldiers in major attack on military base

Local resident in Guire says there was heavy gunfire and the military was 'taken by surprise' in the attack.

Fighters killed at least 12 soldiers in an attack on Sunday in central Mali.

The military outpost at Guire was attacked at about 5am, a source told AFP news agency.

"The terrorists came out of the forest. They were on motorcycles and pick-up trucks. They burned vehicles and took away others," said the source, who asked not to be named.

"The new toll is at least 12 dead, including the post commander, a captain."

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Update: At least 10 Malian soldiers killed in suspected jihadist attack (France 24)

WNU editor: What does not help the situation is that Mali does not have a government .... Mali's Prime Minister And Government Resign Over The Ogossagou Massacre (April 19, 2019).

War Returns To Northern Mali

Malian Army Clashes With Tuareg Rebels For Second Day In Kidal -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Malian troops clashed with Tuareg rebels in the northern desert town of Kidal for a second day on Monday, residents said, after the separatists ended a ceasefire with the new government last week.

The fighting began late on Sunday afternoon outside a bank in the center of Kidal, with both sides accusing the other of firing first. After calm returned overnight, shooting re-started early on Monday morning.

"The firing began at around 5 o'clock (1 a.m. ET) this morning between the army and the MNLA," said Mohamed Toure, a trader. "I have not opened my shop today."

The clashes are the latest in a series of attacks in recent days that threaten to derail peace efforts and complicate France's plan to reduce its troop presence in the West African country after a military operation to destroy an Islamist enclave.

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More News On The Escalating Conflict In Northern Mali

Fighting Flares Between Mali Army, Rebels in Kidal -- ABC News/AP
Fresh fighting in Mali rebel bastion -- FOX News/AFP
Mali: 'MNLA rebels' attack soldiers in Kidal-- BBC
Situation in northern Mali deteriorates amid fighting, suicide bomb attack -- Global Times
Rebels clash with Mali troops as violence surges in restive north -- The Telegraph
Malian army exchanges fire with rebels in Kidal -- The Guardian
Al-Qaeda's African branch claims Mali bombing -- FOX News/AFP
Mali Soldiers Fight Tuareg Separatists -- Voice of America
Mali Soldiers Fight Tuareg Separatists -- Voice of America
Resident: Mali Army, Rebels Exchange Fire in Kidal -- ABC News/AP
Tuareg separatists, Malian army clash in northern town -- Reuters
France Seeks Permanent Victory In Mali -- Strategy Page

The Growing Mali Refugee Crisis

Conditions Getting Worse For Mali Refugees -- Voice of America

DAKAR — Despite the military success of the now three month-old French-led intervention in northern Mali, aid agencies say the situation of more than 450,000 Malian refugees and IDPs is getting worse, not better.

International aid organizations are calling for ramped up assistance for displaced Malians who have fled the north in the past 16 months and don’t look to be returning home any time soon.

Valery Mbaoh Nana is the spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Bamako. “What is going on now, in northern Mali now, unfortunately, is not very good. We’ve witnessed some security problems in some major cities, like Gao, in the past weeks," Nana said. "And that makes these IDPs afraid to go back home. They are expecting to have a better security situation before they go back home.”

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Update: Mali refugees endure 'appalling' Mauritania camp -- BBC

My Comment: To add to the crisis .... the only ones who have been able to stabilize the situation are now preparing to leave.

War In Mali -- News Updates April 9, 2013

French soldiers stand near Ivorian soldiers in Toumodi, during a military training ahead of the departure of Ivorian soldiers for Mali, Apr. 6, 2013.

French Troops Move Against Islamist Base in Mali -- Voice of America

French troops in northern Mali have launched a new operation against a suspected Islamist militant base near the city of Gao.

A reporter for VOA said Monday that a force of about 1,000 soldiers, backed by tanks, helicopters and drones, is moving against the base in the small town of Bourem.

Al-Qaida-linked militants fled to remote areas after French and Malian government troops drove them out of northern Mali's main cities and towns in a January offensive.

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More News On The War In Mali

Mali: France launches major offensive -- News24
French Forces Step up Efforts in Mali's Gao Region -- ABC News/AP
France launches biggest offensive so far in Mali as 1,000 troops sweep in to attack rebel stronghold -- Daily Mail
Mali crisis: France in big offensive against Islamists -- BBC
French Troops Launch Major Offensive Against Mali Islamists: Reports -- RTT
Mali crisis: French troops 'begin withdrawal' -- BBC
France withdraws first batch of soldiers from Mali -- Global Post/AFP
Mali: France Withdraws First Soldiers From Mali -- AllAfrica.com
France wants to keep 1,000 soldiers in Mali permanently -- BBC
Ivorian forces prepare for Malian fight -- UPI
Timbuktu fears French troops withdrawal from Mali -- BBC
France confirms donor conference for war-hit Mali -- Global Post/AFP

War In Mali -- News Updates April 1, 2013

Jihadi Strike In Timbuktu Reflects Altered Terror Threat In Mali -- Time

The assault launched late March 31 by jihadi fighters on the north Mali town of Timbuktu reflects the changing security scenario in West Africa. On the one hand, the Franco-African military intervention against groups allied with al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has inflicted considerable losses on Islamist militias—including within their leadership—and forced extremists who previously occupied the northern half of Mali to retreat to the mountainous border with Algeria to escape further fatalities from ground and air assaults. That progress allowed French President François Hollande on March 28 to outline his planned withdrawal schedule for France’s forces.

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More News On The Conflict In Mali

Mali troops search Timbuktu for Islamists rebels -- BBC
3rd day of fighting with Islamic extremists in Mali's Timbuktu, army searches house-to-house -- FOX News/AP
Three more Islamists killed in Timbuktu -- The Australian
Mali troops hunt for rebels after Timbuktu clash -- Reuters
Islamist Militants Battle French Backed Malian Troops inside Timbuktu -- Voice of America
Fighting surges in northern Mali -- CNN
Al-Qaida takes responsibility for Timbuktu attack -- Bloomberg Businessweek
EU on difficult mission to overhaul Mali Army -- Japan Times/AFP
Mali conflict: Desert fighting on 'Mars' -- Thomas Fessy, BBC
Mountain Warfare In Mali -- Strategy Page
The role of governance and aid in Mali's crisis -- Isaline Bergamaschi, Al Jazeera
French in Mali face Islamist insurgency of unknown strength -- Robert Marquand, Christian Science Monitor

War In Mali -- News Updates March 29, 2013

France To Cut Mali Troops To 1,000 By Year-End -- Reuters

(Reuters) - France will reduce its troop numbers in Mali to 2,000 by July and to 1,000 by the end of the year, down from 4,000 at present, President Francois Hollande said on Thursday.


After its intervention in January to halt an advance by northern al Qaeda-linked rebels towards the capital Bamako, France is keen to wind down its presence quickly and hand over to African and U.N. troops.

Hollande said France was determined that Mali should hold elections as scheduled in July but insisted that France did not have a preferred candidate.

"The days when France chose Africa's heads of state for it are over," he told French television in an interview of more than one hour to defend his 10-month-old government's record.

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More News On The Conflict In Mali

French troops to remain in Mali all year. -- The Telegraph
French Intervention In Mali To Continue Through End Of 2013, Hollande Says 1,000 Troops Will Remain -- Huffington Post/AP
France to cut troop levels in Mali -- CNN
France to reduce troop levels in Mali -- UPI
Mali conflict: Hollande sets French troop timetable -- BBC
France may permanently station soldiers in Mali -- RT
63 soldiers, 600 Islamists dead since January: Malian army -- Times of India/AFP
UN Considers Mali Stabilization Mission -- Voice of America
UN’s Ban Recommends Putting 11,200 Peacekeepers in Mali -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Mali: UN's Ban Ki-Moon - 11,200 Peacekeepers Could Be Needed for Mali -- allAfrica.com
Ban calls for peacekeepers in Mali -- UPI
Ban proposes Mali peacekeeping force -- Al Jazeera
British troops arrive in Mali -- UPI
UK troops arrive in Mali to help train soldiers -- BBC
Mali secular rebels who oppose military presence in north Kidal region appoint administrator -- Washington Post/AP
Mali’s coup leader: ‘Coup isn’t a nice word’ -- Max Fisher, Washington Post

War In Mali -- News Updates March 25, 2013

Fighting Continues As Rebels Hit North Mali -- Al Jazeera

Seven people were killed in fighting between rebels and Malian and French forces in northern town of Gao.

Seven people were killed in a second day of fighting between rebels and Malian and French forces in the northern Malian town of Gao, authorities said.

The rebels attacked the north's largest town on Sunday just days after French President Francois Hollande said Mali's sovereignty had almost been restored.

Earlier, Mali's army repulsed an attack by a group of rebels who had slipped past army checkpoints to enter the northern town of Gao, a military official says.

The Malian army official said that government forces defeated the rebels on Saturday after more than two hours of intense fighting.

The clashes took place after Gao residents reported rebels had entered their neighbourhood.

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More News On Mali

9 dead in clashes with Islamic extremists in north Malian city of Gao -- Washington Post/AP
Six killed as Islamists battle Malian army in Gao -- Reuters
Fighting in N. Mali Kills 6 -- Voice of America
Six killed in second day of fighting in Gao -- WND
Al-Qaida unit in Mali says it has killed French hostage -- The Guardian
French fight in Mali's hostile desert -- BBC
French troops tracking Islamists in Mali -- BBC
French group says Malian crimes prevalent -- UPI
'Francophile fever' sweeps liberated Mali -- Global Post/AFP
In Mali, a Star Singer Calls for War -- The Atlantic

War In Mali -- News Updates March 20, 2013

New York Times

Terror Haven in Mali Feared After French Leave -- New York Times

NEMA, Mauritania — With France planning to start withdrawing its troops from Mali next month, Western and African officials are increasingly concerned that the African soldiers who will be relied on to continue the campaign against militants linked to Al Qaeda there do not have the training or equipment for the job.

The heaviest fighting so far, which has driven the militants out of the towns and cities of northeastern Mali, has been borne by French and Chadian forces, more or less alone. Those forces are now mostly conducting patrols in the north, while troops sent by Mali’s other regional allies, including Nigeria and Senegal, have been slow to arrive and have focused on peacekeeping rather than combat, prompting grumbles from Chad’s president, Idriss Déby Itno.

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More News On Mali

Mali crisis: France host talks on post-war development -- BBC
German defence minister urges Mali troops to ensure security -- Global Post/AFP
German defense minister visits Mali ahead of training program -- Deutsche Welle
Mali One Year After The Coup -- Deutsche Welle
A year after coup, Mali split over election readiness -- Global Post/AFP
Fifth French soldier killed in Mali campaign -- Reuters
The Malian administration has disappeared from Gao -- France24
Mali media to continue strike over journalist jailing -- Global Post/AFP
Mali: Outrage over editor Boukary Daou's jailing -- BBC
Mali: 'Alarm' over food situation in the north -- BBC

War In Mali -- News Updates March 12, 2013

France, Allies Want Special Force For Mali UN Mission -- Reuters

(Reuters) - France and its African allies want a heavily-armed force able to counter any resurgent Islamist threat in Mali as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission, diplomats said.

The United Nations is considering setting up a 10,000-strong force in the former French colony before presidential and legislative elections in July, a deadline a European diplomat described on Tuesday as "a race against time".

U.N. deputy peacekeeping chief Edmond Mulet is in the Malian capital Bamako this week to assess options for a peacekeeping mission once a French-led military intervention that began two months ago is completed.

A heavily armed rapid-reaction force, similar to the unit proposed for a U.N. mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, would be a departure from its typically more passive peacekeeper operations.

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More News On the Conflict In Mali

France sees northeast Mali secure by end-March -- Reuters
France says UN vote on Mali force likely next month -- Global Post/AFP
Mali: Three More Weeks for French Troops to Secure Northern Mali -- allAfrica.com
Northeast Mali secured by end-March: France's Le Drian -- Global Post/AFP
French and Chadian troops 'capture Al-Qa’ida citadel in northern Mali' -- The Independent
UN accuses Mali soldiers of retaliatory attacks -- Global Post/AFP
Mali: UN Reports Serious Escalation of Retaliatory Violence By Government Troops -- allAfrica.com
Mali faces food crisis as refugees return -- Khaleej Times/AFP
Mali conflict leaves dangerous legacy for children -- BBC
French Intervention in Mali Disrupting Cocaine Trade -- Reason
French school in Mali reopens amid tight security -- France24
Outrage Builds Over Publisher's Arrest In Mali; Media Falls Silent -- NPR
Media in Mali Protest Journalist’s Arrest With National Strike -- Bloomberg
Mali media strike over editor Boukary Daou's arrest -- BBC
Counter Terrorism: The Secrets Of Northern Mali -- Strategy Page
How Misguided U.S. Aid Contributed to Mali’s Coup -- Mark Moyar, Bloomberg
Winning the Peace in Mali: Long-term Approaches Needed -- Annette Lohmann, Atlantic-Community.org
The remaking of Mali -- Pietro Musili in Bamako and Patrick Smith in Addis Ababa, Africa Report

War In Mali -- News Updates March 8, 2013

French Army In Mali Now In Islamist "Sanctuary:" Defense Minister -- Reuters

(Reuters) - French forces searching for al Qaeda-linked militants in the hidden valleys of the remote north of Mali are now deep in the Islamists' sanctuary, France's defense minister said on Friday.

A day after a visit to Mali, Jean-Yves Le Drian said the current phase of the eight-week-old French-led offensive was the hardest, as it required winkling the Islamist fighters out of entrenched positions in the Adrar des Ifoghas mountains.

French soldiers killed about 15 militants this week after discovering a small army of jihadists in the Ametetai valley.

Some 30 French soldiers were wounded in the operation and a French national fighting for the Islamists was taken prisoner, Le Drian told Europe 1 radio on Friday.

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More News On The Conflict In Mali

Mali conflict: French troops 'dismantle al-Qaeda base' -- BBC
France say killed more than 150 Mali rebels since mid-Feb -- Global Post/AFP
France says terror chiefs killed in Mali -- Reuters
France says 'large part of the work' in Mali done -- Global Post/AFP
French defense minister visits soldiers in northern Mali, near intense clashes with jihadists -- Washington Post/AP
French minister visits troops in north Mali, says mission not over -- Reuters
Fight isn’t over for French troops -- Columbus Dispatch
French Troops to Begin Withdrawal From Mali in April -- Voice of America
Mali crisis: French soldiers to be withdrawn in April -- BBC
France using DNA to identify Islamists killed in Africa -- CNN
French citizens among radical fighters in Mali, minister says -- CNN
Defense minister: 2 Frenchmen fighting alongside religious extremists detained in Mali -- Washington Post/AP
Helping Malian rape victims break the silence -- France24

War In Mali -- News Updates March 5, 2013

Mali Conflict In Bloodiest Phase Yet: France -- Global Post/AFP

France said Tuesday that dozens of Islamist militants have been killed in the bloodiest phase of the Mali conflict to date, but it remained unclear if key commander Mokhtar Belmokhtar was among them.

Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno on Monday reiterated his belief that Belmokhtar had been killed during fierce fighting in recent days in the Ifoghas mountains on Mali's northeastern border with Algeria.

Deby said his government had only refrained from displaying the body out of respect for Islamic principles.

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More News On The Conflict In Mali

France In Mali (Updates) -- France24
France says 15 militants killed overnight in Mali fighting -- Reuters
U.S. spy drones aiding Mali conflict -- UPI
Fog of war clouds identity of slain Islamist fighters -- Global Post/AFP
EU-trained Mali soldiers operational from July -- Global Post/AFP
EU training mission to Mali to be 'well back from front line' -- BBC
Families of French hostages seek lull in Mali fighting to negotiate their release -- Washington Post
U.K. reviews Mali's eventual transition -- UPI
Niger remains wary of Mali crisis on its doorstep -- The Guardian
Unesco ready to send mission to Mali -- News24
French Officials Warn ‘Success’ in Mali Won’t End Islamist Threat -- Bruce Crumley, Time

Frances Fighter Pilots Are Busy Over The Skies Of Mali

The French Pilots In Mali Doing Battle From The Sky -- France 24/AFP

As fighting intensifies in northern Mali, the aerial support that French-led forces provide in the battle against Islamist rebels is paramount. FRANCE 24 meets the pilots in charge of the Mirage fighter jets at Bamako’s Airbase 101.

Since French-led forces launched a military campaign against Islamist rebels in northern Mali in January, fighting in the desert region of Kidal has intensified.

Supporting the French and African troops on the ground is a squadron of French air force pilots, providing aerial back-up in a fleet of Mirage 2000 fighter jets from Airbase 101, located around 10km from the Malian capital of Bamako.

The pilots have racked up scores of missions in little over seven weeks and on Sunday the squadron surpassed its 1000th hour of flight time since the mission’s debut, indicative of the intensive rhythm its servicemen face.

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My Comment: They are covering a huge area of land .... it is impressive on how effective they have been since this war started.

The Growing Humanitarian Crisis In Mali

U.N. Official Sees Desperation, Hunger And Fear On Visit To Mali -- New York Times

A top United Nations relief official who just returned from a trip to northern Mali said Tuesday that desperation, hunger and fear had pervaded the region in the year since Islamist militant extremists seized control, and that only $17 million of the organization’s appeal for $373 million in emergency aid had been donated so far.

The official, John Ging, the operations director of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said some conditions had begun to improve in northern Mali since a French-led military operation began last month in an effort to expunge the militants from cities like Gao and Timbuktu. But Mr. Ging said that during his four-day trip to the northern part of Mali, an area twice the size of Germany, he had heard harrowing tales of rapes, amputations and brutalities committed against children.

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More News On Mali's Humanitarian Crisis

Traumatized Malians desperately in need of aid, says UN -- Reuters
Mali's Security Improving, Aid Badly Needed, UN Says -- Huffington Post/AP
U.N.: Mali needs more than military help -- UPI
Mali refugees too scared to return: UN -- Global Post/AFP
Plea for Mali humanitarian assistance -- Al Jazeera
International aid now critical to help Malians rebuild their lives, UN official says -- UN News Centre

War In Mali -- News Updates February 27, 2013

French Troops In 'Very Violent' Mali Combat -- Al Jazeera

Fighting ongoing in northeastern mountains as suicide bombing kills at least six government allies in Kidal city.

France's defence minister has confirmed that French forces are engaged in heavy fighting in northern Mali, as suicide car bombing killed six government allies in the city of Kidal.

The bomber carried out the attack on Tuesday evening at a checkpoint at an entrance to Kidal, Ag Alghabas Intalla, a leader of the Islamic Movement of Azawad, or MIA, said by phone from Kidal.

He said he counted six dead and others wounded. The MIA group is fighting with the Malian army and French troops against armed rebels.

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More News On The Conflict In Mali

Mali: 6 Killed in Bomb as Fighting Rages in North -- AP
Seven killed by Islamist car bomb in north Mali: MNLA -- Reuters
Seven Killed in Northern Mali Suicide Bombing -- Voice of America
Car bomb hits northern Mali town of Kidal: army -- Reuters
Al Qaeda finds new stronghold in rugged mountains of Mali as it regroups in Africa -- FOX News
Al-Qaeda's Mali battle plan discovered by French military -- Examiner
US blacklists leader of Mali rebel group -- iol News
West African Leaders Meet Over Mali, Guinea Bissau -- Voice of America
Chad calls for urgent African help to fight Islamists in Mali -- Reuters
Chad calls for swift ECOWAS troop deployment to Mali -- Global Post/AFP
Kerry Urges Africans to Take Over Malian Operations -- Voice of America
German military has long experience of Mali -- Deutsche Welle
Mali: Post-Conflict Mali - Reprisal or Reconciliation? -- Andrew Lebovich, AllAfrica.com
Mali conflict not a short-term issue, UN aid official warns -- Toronto Star

Mali War News Updates -- February 23, 2013

Mali Conflict: 'Many Die' In Ifoghas Mountain Battle -- BBC

Thirteen Chadian soldiers and 65 Islamist insurgents have been killed in heavy fighting in a remote part of northern Mali, Chad's military says.

It says Friday's clashes occurred in the Ifoghas mountains, where many militants are believed to be hiding.

Last month France led an operation to help oust Islamists who seized the vast northern region of Mali in 2012.

The US military says it has deployed surveillance drones in Niger to gather information on the Islamist militants.

The intelligence collected by a 100-strong contingent of US personnel from across the border is being shared with French troops in Mali, who are assisting thousands of troops from African states.

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More News On Yesterday's Battle Between Chad Military Forces And Mali Islamists

Heavy casualties in northern Mali fighting -- Al Jazeera
Thirteen Chadian soldiers, 65 rebels killed in Mali -- Reuters
Chad Army: 13 Chadian Troops, 65 Islamists Killed in Mali -- Voice of America
65 Islamic rebels, 13 Chad troops killed in Mali -- USA Today/AP
13 Chad soldiers, 65 Islamists killed in Mali fighting -- NBC
13 Chad soldiers killed in French-led offensive Mali offensive -- Euronews
13 Chadian troops, 65 rebels killed in Mali clashes -- Al Arabiya News
Chadian troops battle Islamists in northern Mali -- Deutsche Welle
Mali jihadists launch 5 suicide attacks in 2 weeks -- Threat Matrix
Russia Sends Aid to Mali as Fighting Flares -- New York Times
France asks for more help in Mali -- Leader Post/Post Media News
Red Cross fears over guerrilla war in Mali -- Scotsman
War crimes and criminal justice: Defining the U.S. role in Mali -- Sarah Shew, Al Arabiya
The worst is yet to come as Western intervention increases in Mali -- AllVoices

War In Mali -- News Updates February 22, 2013

Renewed Clashes Break Out In Mali -- Al Jazeera

French and Malian troops battle rebel fighters on the streets of Gao, as violence shows little sign of abating.

French and Malian troops have fought rebel fighters on the streets of Gao, and a car bomb has exploded in Kidal as fighting shows little sign of abating weeks before France plans to start withdrawing some forces.

Reuters reporters in Gao in the country's desert north said on Thursday that French and Malian forces fired at the mayor's office with heavy machine-guns after fighters were reported to have infiltrated the Niger River town during a night of explosions and gunfire.

Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French defence minister, said in Brussels that Gao was back under control after clashes earlier in the day.

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More News On The War In Mali

Renewed fighting after rebels regroup -- Sydney Morning Herald
Islamic extremists fire rockets at military in Mali’s Gao; suicide car bombing further north -- Washington Post/AP
Mali: 20 Islamists killed in Gao -- Global Post/AFP
Malian, French troops kill 15 Islamists in Gao: France -- Reuters
France: 15 Islamist Rebels Killed in Northern Mali Fighting -- Voice of America
More suicide bombs hit Mali after battle that kills 20 Islamists -- Global Post/AFP
France: 15 Islamists killed during Gao eviction -- Deutsche Welle
French, Mali Troops in Gao Push Out Islamist Rebels -- Voice of America
French, Malian forces fight Islamist rebels in Gao -- Reuters
Mali troops fire heavy weapons at town -- The Australian
Defenders Outgunned by Islamists in Desert -- Wall Street Journal
As French troop drawdown looms, Malian army still in crisis -- Global Post/AFP
US sends 40 troops to Niger to help with Mali conflict -- Global Post/AFP
Soldiers abused rebels in Mali -- New Europe
Human Rights Watch demand soldiers be prosecuted for abuses in Mali -- France 24
Mali: It Is All About Black And White -- Strategy Page
U.S. assistance can head off extremists in Mali -- John Price, Washington Times
Mali: Tuaregs and Arabs Not Ready to Return to Mali -- allAfrica.com

Mali War News Updates -- February 21, 2013

Heavy Combat After Fresh Attack in Gao, Mali -- Voice of America

DAKAR, SENEGAL — Weapons fire shook the northern Malian town of Gao on Thursday as Malian army troops backed by French and West African forces battled Islamist militants. A Mali defense ministry official said the army continues to repel attacks by what he called “terrorists."

The sounds of gunfire could be heard as Gao residents talked to VOA by phone on Thursday morning. One man said machine-gun fire and cannon fire "roared" around the mayor’s office in the center of town.

Residents said the battle began Wednesday night around 11:30 p.m. local time, when some armed militants attacked positions in central Gao. The weapon fire continued into Thursday morning, and the French news agency reported that the town's main courthouse was in flames.

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More News On The War In Mali

Mali Rebels Fighting in Gao; Car Explodes in Kidal -- ABC News/AP
Mali Intervention: Troops Open Fire On Mayor's Office In Gao -- Reuters
Mali troops battle Islamists in Gao as car bomb targets camp -- Global Post/AFP
Mali: Islamist clashes outside Gao town hall -- BBC
Mali: Fighting in Gao, Car Bomb in Kidal, Mali Conflict Continues -- AllAfrica.com
Mali troops battle Islamists in Gao, courthouse ablaze -- Global Post/AFP
New Fighting In Northern Malian Town Recently Liberated By France-- NPR
Mali jihadist group MUJAO says sent fighters to Gao -- Global Post/AFP
Northern Mali a breeding ground for terrorists long before the current crisis -- Washington Times
EU should arm Mali soldiers, French general says -- EU Observer
French general urges EU to equip "impoverished" Mali army -- Reuters
EU General Calls for Better Equipment in Mali -- Epoch Times
Rights group demands action over Mali atrocities -- Global Post/AFP
Mali: the worst is yet to come -- Imad Mesdoua, The Guardian
Short trip to Timbuktu reveals long road ahead for Mali -- John Thorne, Christian Science Monitor
Does France Have an Exit Strategy in Mali? -- Etienne de Durand, Foreign Affairs

War In Mali -- News Updates February 19, 2013

French Soldier Killed In Mali, 20 Rebels Dead -- Reuters

A French soldier and more than 20 Islamist rebels were killed during what appeared to be the first clashes in the Adrar des Ifoghas mountain range where militants have taken refuge in northern Mali, French officials said on Tuesday.

Speaking on a visit to Athens, French President Francois Hollande said serious fighting had broken out and was continuing in the remote area that straddles the Mali-Algeria border, resulting in several casualties among the rebels and one French legionnaire.

"At this moment we have special forces that are in an extremely precarious zone of the Ifoghas," Hollande said. "It's where the terrorist groups that we stopped before have pulled back to."

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More News On The War In Mali

More than 20 Islamists killed in Mali operation: France -- Global Post/AFP
French soldier dies in clash with radicals in north Mali, France’s president says -- Washington Post/AP
Second French Soldier Dies in Mali -- Wall Street Journal
French Soldier, Militants Killed in Mali Clash -- Voice of America
Mali: French soldier killed fighting Islamists -- BBC
French soldier killed in northern Mali -- Al Jazeera

Exclusive report: The last Malian city to be freed from jihadists -- France 24/AFP
French, Malian troops secure rebel strongpoint near Gao -- Reuters
French, Malian forces take Bourem, jihadist stronghold near north Mali’s largest city -- Washington Post/AP
Mali investigating accusations that its soldiers are committing atrocities -- Washington Post/AP

German cabinet approves Mali mission -- Deutsche Welle
German Troops to Train Malian Army -- Wall Street Journal
German Cabinet adopts plan to send 330 soldiers to Mali in support of French, African efforts -- Washington Post/AP
German government agrees 330 troops for Mali support -- Reuters

Mali conflict: British soldiers to train armed forces -- BBC
Britain sends 40 non-combat troops to Mali -- UPI

US Could Resume Direct Military Aid To Mali After Elections -- Voice of America
U.S. could resume direct Mali military aid if elections successful -- Reuters
Congressman Says US Will Put Larger Footprint In Mali -- Business Insider/AFP

Mali Aid Donor Conference Planned For May -- Huffington Post/Reuters
Mali facing 'triple crisis,' EU says -- UPI
Islamists Failed To Quiet Mali's Music -- NPR
An uncertain future for Mali -- Deutsche Welle
Mali: what we must get right before world's attention falls elsewhere -- The Guardian
Why Mali is not another Afghanistan -- Robert Murray, Winnipeg Free Press

War In Mali -- News Updates February 13, 2013

U.N. Security Council To Back Mali Peacekeepers In Weeks -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council is expected to reach an agreement in two to three weeks to deploy up to 6,000 peacekeepers in Mali to help stabilize the country after a rebel incursion, a senior U.N. official said on Tuesday.

The 15-nation council initially appeared reluctant to send its own blue-helmeted peacekeepers to the West African nation, and instead backed an African-led force that was due to deploy later this year.

But France's decision to send its own soldiers in to fight Islamist rebels in northern Mali in January rendered that plan moot, diplomats told Reuters in January.

U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told Reuters on Tuesday a consensus was now emerging in Security Council discussions to deploy a peacekeeping force "at the appropriate time".

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More News On The Conflict In Mali

Mali, Niger soldiers step up presence in downtown Gao after attack by jihadists -- Washington Post
Mali conflict: Fear overtakes joy in Gao -- BBC
Fears of 'catastrophic' violence in tense Mali -- Global Post/AFP
French, Mali troops recover cache of explosives in northern Mali city of Gao -- Washington Post/AP
Russia arming Mali, more Islamist attacks feared -- Global Post/AFP
Mali reluctant to accept U.N. peacekeepers -- UPI
Mali: Storming The Mountains -- Strategy Page
Mali: What's the Way Forward for Mali? -- allAfrica.com
Mali: In the Crossfire -- Diplomatic Courier
Mali's Militants - Did They Really Just Vanish? -- Korva Coleman, NPR
To Build Lasting Peace in Mali -- Harvey Morris, IHT
More Photos From The Canadian Forces Mali Mission -- Ottawa Citizen

War In Mali -- News Updates February 11, 2013

New York Times

French, Malian Troops Regain Control Of Gao After Rebels Raid By Canoe (+Video) -- Christian Science Monitor

Islamist rebels slipped into the strategic city of Gao by crossing the Niger River with canoes over the weekend.

French and Malian troops on Monday said they are in control of the strategic city of Gao once again after fighting that was described as the most serious escalation of the conflict since French forces entered Mali in late January. The clashes took place on Sunday when Islamist rebel forces infiltrated Gao and attacked Malian and French forces there.

The clash may indicate that the war in Mali has moved into a new phase of guerrilla war after the French managed to liberate Gao with an aerial bombing campaign and almost no fighting on the ground, reports The New York Times.

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More News On The War In Mali

Gao, key northern Mali town, reclaimed by French, Malian forces after Islamic militants' weekend attack -- CBS/AP
Rebels' raid poses Mali guerrilla war threat for French -- Reuters
Malian, French Forces Repel Islamist Assault on Gao -- Voice of America
Mali Islamists Clash With Army After Gao Suicide Bomb -- Bloomberg
France Bombs Targets In Mali Again As Islamists Reemerge In Gao -- Business Insider
France bombs Islamist hideout as Mali insurgency deepens -- Global Post/AFP
Mali conflict: French-led forces retake Gao after surprise attack by rebels -- The Guardian
Mali troops in house-to-house search for Gao militants -- BBC
Malian and French Troops Reassert Control in Key City -- New York Times
Calm returns to Gao after a day of heavy fighting -- Deutsche Welle
Timbuktu: al-Qaeda's terrorist training academy in the Mali desert -- The Telegraph
Mali War Shifts as Rebels Hide in High Sahara -- New York Times
Attacks jolt Mali and France out of complacency -- Andrew Harding, BBC