Mali: French Rafale jetfighters bomb Gao
French Rafale jet fighters have bombed the town of Gao in the east of northern Mali, extending their attacks deep into rebel-held territory where major casualties have been reported.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Mali-French-Raf...
A resident in Gao told AFP news agency all Islamist bases in the town had been destroyed and the militants had fled.Gao has been in the hands of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad , Mujao.France said the militants had suffered "significant" casualties, as reports of the bombing in Gao came in.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that France was now targeting Islamist bases in the north and said Algeria, which shares a long border with Mali, had given permission for its air space to be used for bombing raids "without limit".
Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said four Rafale fighter jets, flying from their base in France, had attacked and destroyed rebel training camps and logistics depots, which acted as back-up bases for terrorist groups.He said the attacks would continue, Le Figaro reported.
An unnamed Elysee Palace official quoted by AFP said on Sunday that French armed forces had been surprised by the fighting quality of the Islamist militants they were up against.Theywere well trained and equipped with the latest weaponary.
French soldiers arrived on Saturday in Bamako from Ivory Coast and Chad. These men "will be joined by others who arrive directly from France in a few hours. By Monday, the group will be fully staffed and operational alongside forcest from Mali at the front, "said the public television ORTM, Le Figaro reported.
It quoted the commander of the French detachment in Mali, Colonel Paul Gèze, saying he hoped the combined forces would achieve successs as quickly as possible whilst expressing his concern for the safety of Malian civilians,his troops and the Malian army.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that France was now targeting Islamist bases in the north and said Algeria, which shares a long border with Mali, had given permission for its air space to be used for bombing raids "without limit".
Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said four Rafale fighter jets, flying from their base in France, had attacked and destroyed rebel training camps and logistics depots, which acted as back-up bases for terrorist groups.He said the attacks would continue, Le Figaro reported.
An unnamed Elysee Palace official quoted by AFP said on Sunday that French armed forces had been surprised by the fighting quality of the Islamist militants they were up against.Theywere well trained and equipped with the latest weaponary.
French soldiers arrived on Saturday in Bamako from Ivory Coast and Chad. These men "will be joined by others who arrive directly from France in a few hours. By Monday, the group will be fully staffed and operational alongside forcest from Mali at the front, "said the public television ORTM, Le Figaro reported.
It quoted the commander of the French detachment in Mali, Colonel Paul Gèze, saying he hoped the combined forces would achieve successs as quickly as possible whilst expressing his concern for the safety of Malian civilians,his troops and the Malian army.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Mali-French-Raf...