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| Africa North | |
| Islamists take Gao | |
| 2012-07-04 | |
Al-Qaeda offshoot Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) drove Touareg rebel group National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) out of Gao last week. The first-ever armed clashes between the two rival factions left at least 21 dead. The strife followed a protest last Tuesday by residents upset over the killing of municipal councillor Idrissa Oumarou. Malian rebels opened fire on the rally, but it was not clear which rebel group had started shooting civilians. MUJAO has now become the dominant force in the city and imposed a night curfew last Wednesday, Le Journal Du Mali reported Friday. MUJAO member Abu Daoud said, "We are now present in the Koro Gusso area after MNLA's army escaped last night," adding that MNLA had a chaotic evacuation and left behind equipment, including two tanks, two trucks and a missile launcher. Echourouk reported that terrorists had seized heavy weapons and anti-aircraft missiles. MNLA fled the scene after their field commander Belal Ag Sharif was injured and transferred to Burkina Faso for treatment along with four interim government ministers. With the MUJAO controlling Gao, the three main cities in northern Mali (Kidal, Timbuktu and Gao) are now dominated by terrorist groups. Gao-based journalist Osman Ag Mohamed Osman said Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb "provided military supplies and equipment to MUJAO and was a part of the military operation, forcing MNLA to depart from city and airport." Meanwhile, rumours circulated that AQIM emir Khaled Abou El Abbas (aka Mokhtar Belmokhtar, or "Laaouar"), who was reportedly personally directing and participating in the clashes against the Touareg rebels, was killed in the battle. MNLA media official Moussa Ag al-Saeed said his body had been seen on a road. On the other hand, MNLA member Yahya Osman Ag Mohamed said that the terrorist leader sustained critical wounds to his chest and leg. AQIM, however, denied rumours of Laaouar's death. | |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #2 Umm, LG, I think a few people on R'burg saw that comin' you know? ;^) |
| Posted by: AlanC 2012-07-04 11:28 |
| #1 Touareg rebel group allied itself with the Islamists to defeat the govt. The Islamists then turned on them and are now out to subjugate or exterminate their erstwhile allies. Who could have seen that coming? |
| Posted by: lord garth 2012-07-04 11:02 |