French troops move north to confront Mali Islamists We will kill

Hostage: Somali Shebab

Bamako, Jan. 16: France’s ground troops in Mali advanced on Wednesday towards the Islamist-held north in a bid to flush out jihadist fighters after days of air strikes, as the first Nigerian contingent of a regional force was expected to deploy.

French armoured units and Malian government forces were heading towards the town of Diabaly, which Al Qaeda-linked groups seized earlier this week even as French gunships and fighter jets pounded their strongholds further north.

“Several hundred Malian and French soldiers left Niono (south of Diabaly) to Nairobi: Somali Islamists said on Wednesday that they have decided to execute the French intelligence officer they have held for more than three years and who was the object Saturday of a botched rescue bid. The Al-Qaeda linked Shebab in a statement said they have “reached a unanimous decision to execute the French intelligence officer, Denis Allex.” Paris has said the officer was most likely killed by his captors during the failed rescue attempt. take” back the town, said a local government official in Niono, while a security source announced plans to “take back Diabaly with the French.” French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian simply confirmed that ground troops had begun their ground offensive on the sixth day of the former colonial power’s intervention in Mali but was short on specifics.

He admitted however that the troops already in Mali faced a tough battle against the Islamists. — AFP