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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Mali rebels surround Timbuktu |
| 2012-04-01 |
| Tuareg separatists in Mali say they have surrounded Timbuktu after a rapid advance through the north part of the country. Witnesses in the town say they have heard heavy weapons and machine-gun fire, apparently being directed at a military base. A local resident said troops appear to have deserted the base. Two other important towns, Kidal and Gao, have fallen to the rebels and their Islamist allies recently. One local resident said the Malian army had fled but a Malian Arab self-defense militia, backed by businesses in the community, was still defending Timbuktu. He said that there was no fighting inside the town. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #1 I say free Tourigistan. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2012-04-01 11:08 |