Mali: 26 members of El Qaeda killed by the army

Twenty-six members of El Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (Aqmi) were killed on Tuesday by the Malian army in northern Mali near the Algerian border, according to information reported Wednesday by various sources.

•     The Army announced Tuesday to have attacked a “base” of El Qaeda and have caused “several deaths” in the camp of terrorists, without providing a clear picture.
  
      Wednesday, a Malian security source contacted by AFP in the north, said: “When our troops took possession of the base of the terrorists, we have counted 26 enemy elements killed. Some were even buried in a mass grave by the Salafists who have fled.”
  
      An independent source in the north, contacted by AFP, acted on its side: “It is certain that armed Malians took control of an area previously regarded as an area of action of Salafists. But the reports which we receive for the time reported 16 dead.”
  
      According to observers, this is the first time the Malian troops attack armed terrorist attack in the north.
  
      Two weeks ago, authorities in Bamako had announced their intention to conduct a “serious fight” against terrorists, after the May 31 murder of British tourist Edwin Dyer, held hostage since January.
  
      Edwin Dyer was part of a group of four European tourists captured in January by Aqmi neighbouring Niger, which had also claimed the kidnapping of two Canadian diplomats. All were released except for a Swiss hostage.
  
      “This is the group of Abdelhamid Abou Zeid we attacked. The prosecution will continue,” said the security source.
  
      Two weeks ago, one of the negotiators who tried to obtain the release of the two European hostages had assured that the British killed was held by the Algerian Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, a brutal and violent terrorists."
  
      An Algerian source said it monitors “very closely” the situation.
  
       “We are following very closely, and I do not need to tell you that Mali will find us at his side in the fight against terrorism,” said this source.
  
      Malian security source assured that “among the Salafists killed Tuesday, there are sponsors and most probably one or two authors of the death of Malian officer killed last week in Timbuktu” (north-west of Mali).
  
      The Malian officer, who had participated several months ago to the arrest of terrorists in the north of Mali, was murdered on June 10, at his home by men suspected of belonging to the North African branch of Al Qaeda.
  
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.