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More landmine explosions in N Mali -
This time between Kidal and the airport 2 aid workers hurt in landmine blast in Mali | News24 |
Drone war in NE Mali
French, Mali troops kill 10 suspected Islamist militants - chicagotribune.com |
The Guardian/Le Monde on the situation in NE Mali.
Jihadists return to northern Mali a year after French intervention | World news | Guardian Weekly |
No more red beard
The bloke implicated in kidnapping Algerian diplomats in Gao in April 2012, Omar Ould Hamaha, aka red beard, has been killed by French forces in the Amettetai Valley, Kidal region. Drones at work by all accounts.
French kill jihadist commander in Mali | News24 |
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Nearly a month old, but have not seen this bit of news picked up anywhere... :
Algerian army confiscate 40 missiles near Libyan border | Shanghai Daily |
News from nothern Mali
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/mali.../20140328.aspx The French now have a permanent base in Tessalit, and a presence of 1600 troops. This is quite a change for the Sahara. Using drones for surveillance and helicopter gunships for attack. Partnering with the Americans. Tuaregs are fractioning again along tribal lines, idnan vs ifoghas. Algeria headed for presidential elections April 17 with the ailing Bouteflika running for a fourth term, have sent 100,000 troops to the southern and eastern borders. Perhaps they will finally come to accept the fact that Morocco is not their main enemy. |
French raid near Timbuktu to free the aid workers
BBC News - French troops free aid workers kidnapped in northern Mali |
MUJAO just reported that French hostage Leal is dead "because France is our enemy" as they said, without providing any details.
Mali: Le groupe djihadiste Mujao annonce la mort de l'otage français Gilberto Rodrigues Leal - 20minutes.fr |
If true that leaves four Europeans still in captivity, presumably in north Mali.
Serge Lazarevic, one of the 'geologists' snatched in November 2011 at Hombori, and the Dutch, Swedish and a South African/Brit) taken from Timbuktu a day later. http://saharaoverland.wordpress.com/kidnappings/ |
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After destroying the tombs in TB2 the salafists are now reportedly busy destroying rock art in SW Libya, since God don't like it
Libye : Les salafistes wahhabites libyens détruisent un site de 12.000 ans d’âge | Algérie 1 |
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Doesn't look like things have improved much in the Kidal/Gao area:
BBC News - Mali Tuareg rebels kidnap officials amid deadly clashes |
Mohktar Belmohktar arrested by American Special Ops in Libya Monday?
Mokhtar Belmokhtar dit (Le borgne) aurait été arrêté only one source. If correct, he was in Benghazi when new strongman general Hifter Also, tuareg rebels have ran the Malian army out of Kidal in a carnage. |
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