Mali: Touareg rebels penetrate in Algeria

Touareg rebels pursued by the Malian army, in flight, entered Thursday in Algeria, according to military sources in Mali and the mediation.

•     « We pursued and destroyed one of the last positions of the armed bandits » (Touareg rebels) in the north. They fled and entered in Algeria. They were numerous, » said to AFP Captain Diakité Alioune, of the Malian army, contacted in northern Mali.
  
      « We have in our hands several vehicles and food. The bandits have left behind, »he added.
  
      « We confirm, a group of armed men pursued by the Malian army is back on our territory, the investigations are ongoing, » said an officer in Algeria, a member of the committee monitoring the peace agreement of Algiers, signed in 2006 between the government in Bamako and Touareg rebels.
  
      When asked whether the Malian army continued pursuing Touareg rebels in Algerian territory, the same source said: « I do not have that information yet, but if it did, I would like to clear that our two brotherly countries have agreements in this sense. »
  
      In addition, dozens of rebel from Ibrahim Ag Bahang group joined Thursday the ranks of other rebels of the Alliance for Democracy and Change (ADC), about fifty miles from Kidal, awaiting their organized return in the town of Kidal.
  
      « We are with the group of Hassane Fagaga (from ADC supports the Algiers Agreement). We want peace », told the AFP a group of Bahang Ag Ibrahim, Mohamed Ag Agaly, Warrant deserter from the Malian army.
  
      
  Ennaharonline/ Afp