The Malian army backed by French troops on Friday wrested a key central town from Islamist rebels, as the UN warned up to a million people could be driven from their homes by fighting in coming months.
As a dramatic hostage siege unfolded in neighbouring Algeria – where Islamists took hundreds captive in a gas field to retaliate for the week-old military intervention in Mali, sparking a deadly commando raid – fighting has continued unabated on the ground in Mali.
French and Malian troops marked a victory over the rebels after days of fighting in Konna, a key town about 700 kilometres from the capital Bamako.
“We have wrested total control of Konna after inflicting heavy losses on the enemy,” the Malian army said in a brief statement.
Colonel Didier Dakouo, head of the Malian forces based in Sevare south of Konna told reporters his troops had “crushed the enemy”. “The heaviest fighting was in Ndegue, 20 kilometres from Konna,” he said.
A security source said Malian soldiers were backed by French air strikes to ease their entry into the town.