French and Malians Take Airport at Gao, Eye North Mali

January 26, 2013 from Euronews

French and Malian troops say they have taken the airport at Gao, some six kilometers from the city, and its bridge over the river Niger. The fall of the airport shows the counter-offensive is making rapid progress in removing the Islamist threat from the south, before it moves into the northern desert where the rebels are strongest.

(more) (less)

In This Video

2012-present Northern Mali conflict

Since 16 January 2012, several insurgent groups have been fighting a campaign against the Malian government for independence or greater autonomy for northern Mali, an area known as Azawad. The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, an organization fighting to make Aza... Explore this topic

Gao

Gao is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, 320 km east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with the Tilemsi valley. For much of its history Gao was an important commercial centre involved in the trans-Sah... Explore this topic

Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb

The Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, previously known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat is an Islamist militia which aims to overthrow the Algerian government and institute an Islamic state. To that end, it is currently engaged in an insurgent campaig... Explore this topic

Maghreb

The Maghreb is usually defined as much or most of the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. The traditional definition as being the region including the Atlas Mountains and the coastal plains of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, was later superseded, especially since ... Explore this topic

Counter-offensive

A counter-offensive is the term used by the military to describe large-scale, usually strategic offensive operations by forces that had successfully halted an enemy's offensive, while occupying defensive positions. The counter-offensive is executed after exhausting the enemy's... Explore this topic

French Armed Forces

The French Armed Forces encompass the French Army, the French Navy, the French Air Force and the National Gendarmerie. The President of the Republic heads the armed forces, with the title "chef des armées" ("chief of the military forces"). The President is the supreme authorit... Explore this topic

Military of Mali

Mali's armed forces are the Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, and National Police (Sûreté Nationale). They number some 7,000 and are under the control of the Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans. The IISS Military Balance 2009 lists an Army of 7,... Explore this topic

Mali

Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali is bordered by Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire to the south, Guinea to the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west. Its size is just over 1,24... Explore this topic

Euronews

Euronews is a European, multilingual news television channel, headquartered in Lyon-Écully, France. Created in 1993, it claims to be covering world news from a Pan-European perspective. Explore this topic

Also See

2012-present Northern Mali conflict

Gao

Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb

Watch Next

4:21

Mali: Two al-Qaeda Leaders Killed in Fighting

On TV | Mar 5

French forces say fighting in Mali has claimed the lives of two al-Qaeda leaders in recent days, although only one of the deaths has been confirmed...