Mali crisis: France in big offensive against Islamists
20:15, 8 April 2013
PARIS. April 8. KAZINFORM French forces have launched one their biggest offensives against militants in northern Mali, officials have said.
About 1,000 troops are sweeping through a river valley believed to be a logistics base for the armed Islamists near Gao, AFP news agency reports.
This is said to be the last major French-led operation before France starts reducing its military presence, Kazinform has learnt from BBC.
The militants have been driven out of northern cities and towns since France intervened militarily in January.
However, the Islamists have carried out several suicide attacks in Gao, about 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) north of the capital Bamako, and the ancient city of Timbuktu.
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