MaliFrench defense minister: campaign goal is “total reconquest” of Mali
French fighter planes continued their attacks on training bases, weapon storage sites, and Islamist troop concentrations in north Mali, paying special attention the Islamists presence in and around the major cities of Gao and Timbuktu.
French fighter planes continued their attacks on training bases, weapon storage sites, and Islamist troop concentrations in north Mali, paying special attention the Islamists presence in and around the major cities of Gao and Timbuktu. At the same time that 2,000 French ground troops were surrounding the strategic town of Diabali, located west of the Niger River and south of the unofficial demarcation line between Mali and the breakaway north Mali.
French defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drien said on French television that the French air strikes will continue and will target the Islamists’ infrastructure, command centers, and lines of communication.
While the French and Malian forces were closing in on Diabali, Le Drien said that that the city of Konna, located east of the Niger River, is already under French control.
Le Monde reports that the French minister did not mince words when describing the ultimate goal of the French military action He said that the goal is “la reconquête totale” (total reconquest) of north Mali, a campaign which “ne pas laisser des poches” (would not allow pockets) of terrorists to be left behind.
The BBC reports that the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, said on Saturday that West African countries must “pick up the baton” in the offensive to drive out the Islamists.
