French forces have overtaken and dismantled a major al-Qaeda base in the northern mountains of Mali.
French defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the BBC that a “very impressive” amount of weapons had been captured at the site. Tons of AK-47s, grenade launchers and even pickup trucks were found hidden inside natural caves in the region. Continue reading
Chad’s military reported the killing of Islamist leader Abdelhamid Abou Zeid in an operation in northern Mali over the weekend.
French military officials said it was “probable” that Abou Zeid was killed along with fellow leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar, but that until they had a body, they would not officially state the terrorist leaders were dead. Continue reading
A “manifesto” discovered by journalists covering the fighting between French forces and Islamic terrorists in Mali appears to indicate divisions between the terror groups trying to take over the nation.
A French newspaper published the paper allegedly written by Abdel Malek Droukdel, the head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. AQIM is the leading terror group in the attempt to overthrow the Mali government. Continue reading
French President Francois Hollande has called the latest offensive by French troops in Mali the “final phase.”
The French troops joined with Chadian troops in the Ifoghas mountains where they say the members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb are believed to be hiding and attempting to regroup. At least 65 terrorists have been killed in the fighting along with 13 Chad troops. Continue reading
The United States has deployed armed troops to Niger in a mission to support the French war against terrorists in Mali.
In a manner that will allow the U.S. to deny direct involvement in the war against al-Qaeda, 100 troops have been sent to neighboring Niger to provide “intelligence support” in the attempt to drive terrorists out of Mali. Continue reading
The first French ground soldier has been killed in the battle against Islamic terrorists in Mali.
The soldier from the French Foreign Legion died as Special Forces were searching for terrorists in a mountain region in the Sahara Desert. The operation killed 20 terrorists according to the French defense ministry. Continue reading
French officials are telling their citizens to leave northern Cameroon after the kidnapping of seven French citizens by Islamic terrorists.
The terrorists are believed to be from neighboring Nigeria and connected to al-Qaeda related Boko Haram. The latest kidnapping, which includes four children, brings the total of recently kidnapped French citizens in that region of Africa to 15. Continue reading
Mali’s government has not given the United Nations permission to send a peacekeeping force in the wake of their war with Islamic terrorists saying they’re “hesitant” to allow the foreign troops on their soil.
“We do not have a clear green light from the government of Mali yet for a peacekeeping operation,” Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the BBC. He added that outside nations involved in providing logistical and military support to Mali so far are in favor of the mission. Continue reading
Authorities in England, France and Belgium have broken up a major human trafficking ring that preyed on immigrants from the Middle East and Afghanistan.
The UK Border Agency raided 35 locations yesterday while France and Belgium carried out 40 raids. The raids were spread out over the entire countries instead of focusing on only one major city. Continue reading
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has told reporters that French troops have killed “hundreds of militants” since entering the country’s war on January 11th.
He stated the Islamic terrorists were killed both through air strikes and direct combat with French troops. 4,000 French troops are on the ground in Mali with only one casualty; a helicopter pilot, reported by French officials. Continue reading
