Reports reaching ViewPointNigeria indicates that Paratroopers exchanged gunfire with Government soldiers on Friday in Bamako the capital city of Mali. This is happening despite the security operation being undertaken by French and African troops to dislodge Al-Qaeda allied rebels in the northern part of the country. State army surrounded the Djikoroni paratrooper base in Western Bamako with armoured tanks when heavy gun shots were fired leading to the death of one.

It was reported that the paratroopers loyal to deposed President Amadou Toumani Toure started shooting to protest an attempt to reassign them. There has been a split in the armed forces between those loyal to the ousted and current leaders after a military coup in March. The coup leaders in March last year said that they had to take over power as the Government was not doing enough to stop the advancement of rebels who had taken over the northern part of the country. The Coup leaders agreed to back down after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African leaders intervened leading to the setting up of an interim Government.

Reports reaching ViewPointNigeria indicates that Paratroopers exchanged gunfire with Government soldiers on Friday in Bamako the capital city of Mali. This is happening despite the security operation being undertaken by French and African troops to dislodge Al-Qaeda allied rebels in the northern part of the country. State army surrounded the Djikoroni paratrooper base in Western Bamako with armoured tanks when heavy gun shots were fired leading to the death of one.

It was reported that the paratroopers loyal to deposed President Amadou Toumani Toure started shooting to protest an attempt to reassign them. There has been a split in the armed forces between those loyal to the ousted and current leaders after a military coup in March. The coup leaders in March last year said that they had to take over power as the Government was not doing enough to stop the advancement of rebels who had taken over the northern part of the country. The Coup leaders agreed to back down after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African leaders intervened leading to the setting up of an interim Government.

Franch and African states sent troops early this year to fight the insurgency which led to the recapture of three rebel strongholds; Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal. French troops supported by the African troops have being attacking the rebels with air strikes leading to some gains while the rebels are said to be fighting from the desert hills around Kidal. The Government of France has said that it will start withdrawing its troops from Mali in March with the call for a United Nation Peace Keeping Force to take charge in April.

In a related development, Mali witnessed its first suicide attack in the northern town of Gao. The suicide bomber who arrived in a motorbike approached some soldiers and detonated an explosive belt killing him and injuring a soldier.

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Mutiny in Mali despite security operation