Ansar Dine takes Konna in continued fighting
Clashes with artillery and heavy weapons which began on Wednesday near Mopti continued on Thursday in what may be the beginning of a new conflict in Mali with Ansar Dine's forces moving South towards Bamako when the UN approved ECOWAS international intervention force with its advisers is not due in Mali until September.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Ansar-Dine-take...
Jihadists seized the city of Konna, 70 kilometers north of Mopt which marks the line between the islamist held North and the South.Casualties were evacuated according to AFP and two fighter aircraft were scrambled from Sévaré City, 60 kilometers south of Konna,which is the next likely target of the islamists. It is the only airport which can accomodate large aircraft apart from Bamako and its loss would be a blow to the international intervention force.
It is not clear which Islamist armed groups are ffighting in the attack butitis likely that they include Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement for the uniqueness and jihad in West Africa (Mujao) and Ansar Dine. According to security sources, they have recently received reinforcements from the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram,according to AFP.
The peace talks in Ougaadougo between Ansar Dine, the MNLA and the Malian government have now been postponed.
France stressed the need for a rapid deployment of the intervention force as the situation on the ground was now moving very fast according to AFP. The question now is whether the Malian army can hold the Jihadist force as it moves south towards Bamako. Police were deployed inBamako following demonstrations in support of the army calling for war with the islamists to regain the North of the country.
It is not clear which Islamist armed groups are ffighting in the attack butitis likely that they include Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement for the uniqueness and jihad in West Africa (Mujao) and Ansar Dine. According to security sources, they have recently received reinforcements from the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram,according to AFP.
The peace talks in Ougaadougo between Ansar Dine, the MNLA and the Malian government have now been postponed.
France stressed the need for a rapid deployment of the intervention force as the situation on the ground was now moving very fast according to AFP. The question now is whether the Malian army can hold the Jihadist force as it moves south towards Bamako. Police were deployed inBamako following demonstrations in support of the army calling for war with the islamists to regain the North of the country.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Ansar-Dine-take...