One dead after Tuareg attacks

2008-05-06 19:09

Bamako - Attacks by Tuareg rebels on several army posts in northern and central Mali early on Tuesday left one person dead, according to officials in the West African nation.

In the northern town of Aguel'hoc the army returned fire from rebels and at the same time a military base in the central Segou region was attacked by armed Tuareg rebels who made off with army supplies.

"In Aguel'hoc, a group of armed Tuaregs fired shots at the army, no one was hurt," a source close to the Malian minister of Territorial Administration, responsible for the police forces, told AFP.

"At Diabaly however, Tuaregs in four vehicles attacked a military base. The army fought back and one person died," he added.

The source, who requested anonymity, could not say if the person who died was a soldier or an attacker. Local officials confirmed the attacks had taken place.

Despite a 2006 peace pact between the Malian government and the Tuareg rebels in the vast, impoverished nation on the southern edge of the Sahara there have been several attacks on army posts by small armed Tuareg groups in recent weeks.

One of the Tuareg groups, led by Ibrahim Ag Bahanga, has kidnapped some 30 Malian soldiers in attacks in the last months.

Bamako is in negotiations with Ag Bahanga's group and according to observers here, several other Tuareg groups are launching attacks against the army in the hopes of benefitting from the talks.

- AFP