"Mali's armed forces, supported by Russian mercenaries, have launched airstrikes targeting a rebel alliance of Islamist extremists and Tuareg separatists as the ruling junta struggles to maintain its hold on power in the unstable west African country. Earlier this week warplanes targeted the key northern town of Kidal, which was lost when the rebels launched a surprise offensive across much of Mali in late April."
"Elsewhere, Russian-piloted and supplied military helicopters protected convoys or airlifted supplies to remote outposts where Mali's army has mounted as yet ineffective efforts to reimpose government authority. The rebel offensive targeted strategic towns, government forces and their Russian auxiliaries with ambushes, car bombs, drones and raids, inflicting significant casualties."
"Mali's defence minister, Sadio Camara, died in a suicide attack on his residence in the garrison town of Kati, 9 miles (15km) north-west of the capital, Bamako, and the head of military intelligence was killed. Other attacks hit Mali's international airport, while rebels seized control of Kidal after soldiers fled and a force of Russian mercenaries surrendered."
"Nina Wilen, the Africa director at the Egmont Institute, an international relations thinktank in Brussels, said the ruling military junta had shown some resilience after being badly shaken by the wave of rebel attacks. They are fighting back, she said. There has not been a mutiny or counter-coup. That doesn't mean it won't happen but they are still fighting and that is something to note."
Mali’s armed forces, supported by Russian mercenaries, carried out airstrikes against a rebel alliance combining Islamist extremists and Tuareg separatists. Warplanes targeted Kidal, a key northern town lost during a surprise rebel offensive in late April. Russian-piloted and supplied helicopters protected convoys and airlifted supplies to remote outposts where Mali’s army has struggled to restore government control. The rebel offensive used ambushes, car bombs, drones, and raids against strategic towns, government forces, and Russian auxiliaries, causing significant casualties. Mali’s defence minister Sadio Camara died in a suicide attack, and the head of military intelligence was also killed. Rebels attacked the international airport and seized Kidal after soldiers fled, reversing a symbolic junta victory from three years earlier.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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