Mali conflict: 'Many die' in Ifoghas mountain battle
Thirteen Chadian and 65 Islamist rebel fighters have been killed in fighting in northern Mali, Chad's military says.It says five of its soldiers were wounded in the clashes in the mountainous Ifoghas region, reports BBC.
France intervened last month to help the Malian army oust Islamist militants who seized the vast northern region of Mali in 2012.
Thirteen Chadian soldiers and dozens of Islamist rebels are killed in heavy fighting in a mountainous area of northern Mali, Chad's army says. US sends 100 troops to Niger Mali's perfect 'guerrilla mountains' Sahara is not 'new Afghanistan'Rise of Sahara's Islamist militantsIn a statement issued late on Friday, the Chadian army said it had "destroyed five vehicles and killed 65 jihadists", adding that 13 of its soldiers had been killed and another five wounded.Earlier this month, some 1,800 Chadian soldiers began patrolling the city of Kidal.Chad has pledged to send 2,000 troops to Mali as part of the African-led mission.The soldier is the second French casualty since the intervention last month to oust al-Qaida-backed rebels from northern Mali.The French defence ministry said that a parachute regiment of 150 soldiers supported by a heavy vehicle patrol and Mirage fighter jets had come under fire on Tuesday morning.
"We are now in the last phase of the operation," Hollande said."It's no longer a question of simply arresting the terrorists, making the territory safe, but to go to the end of the mission and that means arresting the last leaders of these groups that are in the extreme north of Mali."
The US said, a 100-strong contingent was operating the drones out of a base in Niger.France intervened in January in its former colony, fearing that al-Qaeda-linked militants who had controlled Mali's north since April 2012 were about to advance on the capital Bamako.
Thirteen Chadian and 65 Islamist rebel fighters have been killed in fighting in northern Mali, Chad's military says.It says five of its soldiers were wounded in the clashes in the mountainous Ifoghas region, reports BBC.
France intervened last month to help the Malian army oust Islamist militants who seized the vast northern region of Mali in 2012.
Thirteen Chadian soldiers and dozens of Islamist rebels are killed in heavy fighting in a mountainous area of northern Mali, Chad's army says. US sends 100 troops to Niger Mali's perfect 'guerrilla mountains' Sahara is not 'new Afghanistan'Rise of Sahara's Islamist militantsIn a statement issued late on Friday, the Chadian army said it had "destroyed five vehicles and killed 65 jihadists", adding that 13 of its soldiers had been killed and another five wounded.Earlier this month, some 1,800 Chadian soldiers began patrolling the city of Kidal.Chad has pledged to send 2,000 troops to Mali as part of the African-led mission.The soldier is the second French casualty since the intervention last month to oust al-Qaida-backed rebels from northern Mali.The French defence ministry said that a parachute regiment of 150 soldiers supported by a heavy vehicle patrol and Mirage fighter jets had come under fire on Tuesday morning.
"We are now in the last phase of the operation," Hollande said."It's no longer a question of simply arresting the terrorists, making the territory safe, but to go to the end of the mission and that means arresting the last leaders of these groups that are in the extreme north of Mali."
The US said, a 100-strong contingent was operating the drones out of a base in Niger.France intervened in January in its former colony, fearing that al-Qaeda-linked militants who had controlled Mali's north since April 2012 were about to advance on the capital Bamako.
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