Ten killed in army operation in N Mali

(Before It's News)

At least ten people have been killed in an operation launched by the Malian army against Tuareg rebels in the northern part of the West African country.

During the Wednesday fighting against the rebels of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), government troops succeeded to retake control of the village of Anefis, 113 kilometers (70 miles) south of the provincial capital Kidal.

“We counted 10 dead and have captured 28 prisoners,” said Malian army spokesman Souleymane Maiga. He added that two soldiers also sustained injuries during the clashes.

This was the first time that the Malian army engaged in war with the Tuareg rebels since the militant group invaded northern Mali last year, forcing the military to retreat from more than half of the country’s territory.

MNLA spokesman Mossa Ag Attaher, however, said that the rebels had lost just one fighter in the fighting and that they œhave blown up several vehicles with soldiers inside” and œhave taken dozens of Malians prisoner.”

MNLA vice-president Mahamadou Djeri Maiga also said the rebel group “never wanted to resolve the situation by war but, as this is so, we will defend ourselves until the end.”

Chaos broke out in the West African country after Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure was toppled in a military coup on March 22, 2012. The coup leaders said they mounted the coup in response to the government’s inability to contain the Tuareg rebellion in the north of the country, which had been going on for two months.

However, in the wake of the coup d’état, the Tuareg rebels took control of the entire northern desert region, but the Ansar Dine extremists then pushed them aside and took control of the region, which is larger than France or Texas.

France also launched a war in Mali on January 11, 2013 under the pretext of halting the advance of fighters in the country.

DB/MHB

This article originally appeared on: Press TV

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