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Militants Ineligible for Dialogue, Mali President Says

January 31, 2013

by VOA News

Mali's interim president has ruled out talks with Islamists who formerly ruled the country's north, but a top official in France, which is helping to retake the region, is calling for reconciliation.

The differences emerged Thursday, two days after French forces took the airport at Kidal, the last major stronghold of the Islamist groups who seized control of northern Mali last year.

In an interview with French radio, Malian interim President Dioncounda Traore said the militants are in his words, "not eligible for dialogue," though he said his government might negotiate with the northern Mali separatist group MNLA.

Success

In a separate interview, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France's intervention in Mali has succeeded but added that the Malians must establish "a reconciliation process." He also said Mali's situation "is not secured yet."

VOA correspondent Anne Look is traveling with French troops in Mali. She reports that at least two Malian soldiers were killed by a land mine while traveling between the towns of Sevare and Gao.

"What's disturbing about this is that is does seem to confirm fears that the Islamists did mine roads or did leave booby traps for troops coming in, something we've been hearing about from residents of towns like Gao for a while," Look says.

French-led forces were reported in control of three key towns in northern Mali Wednesday, after al-Qaida-linked militants fled their last stronghold and escaped into a vast desert region with their weapons.

Insurgents mounted no resistance as French troops arrived at the Kidal airport late Tuesday, just days after they captured Gao and Timbuktu.

Because the cities were recaptured so rapidly and easily, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said his country's forces will be leaving Mali sooner than expected. An African intervention force backed by the United Nations is preparing to deploy at least 6,000 troops to the region.

Peacekeeping

The African troops will be responsible for holding the towns and tracking down Islamist fighters. French authorities say the insurgents melted into villages in the Adrar des Ifoghas mountains and surrounding desert areas.

The MNLA first launched a rebellion in the north last January seeking autonomy, but later joined the Islamists to seize control of the region following a coup in Bamako that toppled the government. The Islamists later pushed the Tuaregs aside and moved to impose strict Islamic law.

French forces launched an offensive against the Islamists nearly three weeks ago as the groups made a push in the direction of the capital, Bamako.

An African-led force is being assembled to help secure Mali once the French forces leave.

The U.S. State Department welcomed the successes of the French-led force, and said its replacements will be challenged to hold the newly liberated towns. Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the African force faces the task of pursuing the Islamists to ensure they cannot regroup and return.