Mali Crisis

Algeria hostage mastermind Mokhtar Belmokhtar 'killed in Mali'

3 Mar 2013

The death of one of the world’s most wanted jihadists would be a major blow to al-Qaeda in the region and to Islamist rebels already forced to flee towns they had seized in northern Mali by an...

Top al-Qaeda commander killed in Mali, say reports

2 Mar 2013

One of al Qaeda’s most feared commanders in Africa has been killed by French air strikes in north Mali, sources close to Islamist militants and tribal elders said on Friday, but France said it...

French, Malian troops regain control of Gao

12 Feb 2013

French and Malian government forces on Monday have regained control of this strategic northern city, after Islamic fighters invaded through the city’s harbour on Sunday and fought a protracted...

France launches probe into suspects linked to African jihad network

10 Feb 2013

A judicial official said Saturday that the four, aged 22 to 37, are being investigated for criminal association with a terrorist enterprise.

Suicide bomber hits north Mali, troops clash in capital

8 Feb 2013

In Mali’s first ever suicide bombing, an attacker drove up to a group of Malian troops in Gao, the largest town in the north, and detonated an explosive belt, wounding one soldier, said First...

Opinion

Wang Xiangwei

Super ministries may not be the right answer for mainland China

Alex Lo

Church developers remain unbowed by government rules

George Chen

A house is not a home until it becomes affordable

UN hopes to have aid access to northern Mali within days

"We now have access back into central Mali," said David Gressly, who steers humanitarian operations in the region for the UN.

France arrests suspected Islamists in Mali rebels probe

French police arrested four suspected Islamist militants near Paris on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the recruitment of volunteers by al-Qaeda insurgents in Mali, Interior Minister...

Talking points

Biden and Cameron put heads together

MALI

France bombs Islamist targets in Mali after Hollande visit

France said it carried out major air strikes on Sunday near Kidal, the last bastion of armed extremists chased from Mali’s desert north after a whirlwind visit by President Francois Hollande.

MALI

Hollande says Mali terrorism forced back but 'not defeated yet'

As troops worked to secure Kidal, the last bastion of radicals who occupied the vast desert north for 10 months before the French army’s surprise intervention, Hollande told Malians it was time...

MALI

Hollande the conquering hero in ancient Timbuktu

The French launched their military operation to oust the extremists three weeks ago, and have since taken back the three main northern cities ruled by the rebels for about 10 months.