Post date: Jan 28, 2013 8:14:29 PM
French and Malian troops take the airport in the historic city of Timbuktu in the north of Mali.
TIMBUKTU, MALI (JANUARY 28, 2013) (FRANCE 24) - Combined French and Malian military forces took control of the airport in the historic town of Timbuktu in the early hours of Monday (January 28) as they continued a push through the north of Mali in an ongoing battle with Islamist militants in the country.
The retaking of the centuries-old city on the Niger River followed the swift capture of Gao at the weekend, another major town which had been occupied by the alliance of Islamist groups since last year.Military sources confirmed to reporters that the operation had been successful.
"This is a very important step so we need to continue to liberate the rest because we have to continue to liberate the town as well," Malian army Captain Konate said.
A two-week intervention by France in its former Sahel colony, at the request of Mali's government but also with wide international backing, has driven the Islamist rebel fighters northwards out of towns into the desert and mountains.
Military personnel said that they now feared unexpected attacks from militants armed with improvised explosive devices.
"What worries me above all is the mine danger, and also the wider terrorist danger, which could go from IEDs (improvised explosive devices) to kamikaze attacks. I'm worried most of all for my men and for the Malians who are with us," he said.
A French military spokesman said the assault forces at Timbuktu were being careful to avoid combat inside the city so as not to damage cultural treasures and mosques and religious shrines in what is considered a seat of Islamic learning.