A French offensive of 1,000 troops are sweeping through a river valley believed to be the logistic base for Islamic terrorists near Gao, Mali.
The move is expected to be France’s last major offensive before withdrawing their troops from the nation. The militants have hidden in the mountains in the north after being driven out of the cities. The Islamists have moved to a campaign of homicide bombings after losing control of the towns. Continue reading
Islamic terrorists found a way to sneak past checkpoints into the northern city of Gao but were repelled by French and Malian troops after the city residents sounded the alarm.
Gao had been under control of Islamic terrorists for ten months before French troops liberated the city in January. A strict version of Sharia Law was imposed on the town that included cutting off hands of suspected thieves. Continue reading
French President Francois Hollande has called the latest offensive by French troops in Mali the “final phase.”
The French troops joined with Chadian troops in the Ifoghas mountains where they say the members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb are believed to be hiding and attempting to regroup. At least 65 terrorists have been killed in the fighting along with 13 Chad troops. Continue reading