Breaking news
French and Malian troops seize many weapons in large cache northwestern town of Timbuktu 1904132.
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Defence & Security News - Mali |
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| Friday, April 19, 2013, 01:40 PM | |||
| French and Malian troops seize many weapons in large cache northwestern town of Timbuktu. | |||
The Malian forces, supported by their French allies, have discovered a
large cache of weapons in the country's northwestern town of Timbuktu.
The discovery was unveiled by the public relations director for the Malian
army (DIRPA), Souleymane Maiga, and his deputy Souleymane Dembele on Thursday,
April 18, 2013. |
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 French and malian soldiers stand next to cases of ammunition and military equipment. (Archive image) |
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| The DIRPA director said automatic weapons like Kalachnikovs, machine-guns and ammunition were discovered in a house located in the Abaradjo district. Commenting on the absence of the Malian army in the extreme northeastern town of Kidal, the director noted, "The French and the Chadian forces have asked us to join them there and we are still preparing to do so." "The Malian army is not going to Kidal to fight anyone, but to protect the civilians and take back the position we initially held in Kidal. But we shall not tolerate any armed group," he warned. "Besides Kidal, our objective is to reposition ourselves once more in Tessalit, Tinzawatene and Aguel'Hoc," Maiga affirmed. He said the issue of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) will be resolved by Malians themselves, because it is an issue between Malians. The separatist MNLA declared independence in northern Mali in the aftermath of a military coup on March 22, 2012, while keeping distance from Al-Qaida linked rebels occupying large parts of the region between late March 2012 and January 2013. Concerning the training of Malian soldiers by the European Union Training Mission, the two senior army officers confirmed said the training will begin next week in Koulikoro, an area 60 km from the capital Bamako. |
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