French planes destroy Islamist bases in Mali

January 25, 2013 01:57

French warplanes destroyed two Islamist bases in northern Mali as a leading Al Qaeda-linked group in the region split today, with the breakaway group saying it wanted talks to end a Paris-led offensive against the militants.

The French bombing raids overnight targeted Ansongo, about 80 kilometres from the town of Gao and extremist bases in the nearby village of the Seyna Sonrai, a Malian military source said on condition of anonymity.

"French military planes successfully attacked Islamist positions at Ansongo and nearby areas," the source said. "The strikes were very successful and caused damage to the enemy."

A security source in Niger confirmed the raids, saying "two main bases of the Islamists were destroyed" as well as their fuel stocks and armoury.

More than 2,000 Chadian soldiers and 500 troops from Niger are being deployed at Ouallam in Niger, near the Mali border, to open a second front against the Islamists as part of a UN-mandated African force to boost, and eventually take over, the two-week-long French-led campaign.

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