Watch as it Develops - The Staged War Against Islamists in Northern Mali

Hi IFUN -

The reports from Western reporters in Mali who I follow on twitter are bad..

Supposedly, the Malian Army is disorganized & fleeing Mopti en masse. French & American military trainers (who aren't officially in the country) have been evacuated from Sevare. The Malian Air Force can't put any planes on the sky but they are falsely reporting the arrival of Ukranian mercenaries to scare the Islamists - it isn't working...

Here are some of the tweets to give you flavor -

Hannah Armstrong (@HannahHaniya)
1/10/13, 4:39 PM
The Malian army is divided, demoralized, and hemorrhaging equipment and arms to the enemy. Tough time to toe the anti-intervention line.

Tommy Miles (@tommymiles)
1/10/13, 4:14 PM
Not existing trainers? RT @fabienoff: Plusieurs habitants de Sévaré rapportent le "débarquement" de militaires blancs dans la ville #Mali

According to AFP - the Situation in Mali is deteriorating rapidly...

..."We always follow closely the evolution of the situation in Mali,
where clashes between rebel groups and the Malian military
actually been reported, "said Mr. Lalliot.

"We remain concerned by these operations that undermine the process of
crisis in Mali, and reiterate our call for an immediate end to the
progression of armed rebel groups to the south of Mali, "he added.

Clashes in the region of Mopti (center) resumed Thursday
following an exchange of fire with heavy weapons in the same area, according to a military source.

"Everything collapses and everything is going very, very fast...

[link to translate.google.com]

Hi DD.
I'm really surprised with these developments tbh with you. Didn't know that Malian army was so shit too. It'd probably justify the intervention though, more weapons sold, TPTB are pleased.

UN Security Council Calls Emergency Session on Mali
[link to www.voanews.com]

And..The UN's Special Envoy for the Sahel, Romano Prodi, is in Bamako (Capitol of Mali) today...

[link to www.innercitypress.com]

Here's inner city press report on UN Security Council Emergency meeting on Mali...

[link to www.innercitypress.com]

Mali Government Reeling After Islamists Take Village Long Held by Army

(Konna has fallen)...The Islamists now threaten a major airfield some 25 miles away at the town of Sévaré, which is also the home of a significant army base. And 10 miles from Sévaré is the historic river city of Mopti, the last major town controlled by the Malian government, with a population of more than 100,000....

“The Malian Army has retreated to Sévaré,” he said. “We need the help of everybody to save Sévaré.”

A spokesman for the Islamists, Sanda Ould Boumana, said from rebel-held Timbuktu: “We have taken the town of Konna. We control Konna, and the Malian Army has fled. We have pushed them back.”

The army’s official spokesman, Lt. Col. Diarran Kone, refused to confirm or deny the loss of the village. Gen. Carter F. Ham, the commander of the Pentagon’s Africa Command, who was traveling in neighboring Niger on Thursday, said that he had seen the reports from Mali but could not yet independently verify them.

“If true, this is a significant change in the situation,” General Ham said.

This week’s clashes were the first time that the two sides had fought since Islamists and their Tuareg rebel allies conquered the north of Mali last spring, splitting the country in two and leaving the Malian Army in disarray.

[link to nyti.ms]

General Carter Ham, based in Stuttgart Germany, just happened to be in Niger when this crisis unfolded.

AFRICOM's timing is impeccable...too bad they couldn't make it to Benghazi at any point during a 10 hour attack. just sayin'

UN calls for swift deployment of troops to Mali; Mali's President asks UN & France for assistance - [link to www.bbc.co.uk]

That is a big turnaround from just a few days ago.




I have been sick over the whole continent and what is happening.

You are so right LOL

Such a set up.

But the Western government propped war needs to be televised to justify the Africom takeover.

Just to add, the BBC are running a documentary about Africa in the UK just to keep it in the public psyche.... TPTB are planning for it to be a focal point.

Foreign troops and weapons were flown into an army base in Mali on Thursday, witnesses told AFP, as the country's president asked France for help to fight al-Qaeda linked Islamists.

Witnesses and an official told AFP that military aircraft carrying weapons and foreign soldiers had arrived at an army base in Sevare in central Mali, not far from the town of Konna, captured by Islamists rebels earlier on Thursday.

[link to www.news24.com]

From the article:

His US counterpart, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, believes that the Islamists in Mali were behind the attack that led to the death of the American ambassador in the Libyan city of Benghazi seven weeks ago.

It's on, French boots on the ground in action.


Snip; The French quickly mobilized after the Islamists seized a key town on Thursday, pushing closer to the army's major base in central Mali.


Lot in the link [link to www.cbsnews.com]

#Mali - State of emergency declared in Mali - CNN.com [link to www.cnn.com]

France sends troops to Mali after gains by Islamist forces

As Islamist fighters scored new gains in northern Mali, French grounad forces intervened Friday to help the sagging Malian army, opening a new front in the confrontation between the West and al-Qaeda-allied guerrillas.

French President Francois Hollande, who announced the unexpected deployment, did not say how many French soldiers were on the ground or exactly what their mission is. But he promised that France’s participation in the fighting would “last as long as necessary” to guarantee that the Malian government and army can maintain control of the former French colony in northwest Africa.

[link to www.washingtonpost.com]

In October 2012 I predicted a US intervention in Mali in first quarter 2013 (that was name of this thread for awhile)...

So, who thinks my prediction is coming true?

This is far bigger than France

Mauritanian troops are massing on their border with Mali.

here's the link -

[link to translate.google.com]

Senegal denies presence of Senegalese troops in Mali.

Moreover, the presence of Dakar denies Senegalese troops fighting in Mali. "No Senegalese soldier is on Malian territory" has delcare Lieutenant Colonel Adama Diop, the Public Relations Directorate of the Senegalese armed, told AFP.

[link to translate.google.com]

AFP is reporting the US will provide logistical support in Mali

The United States plans to help France in its military engagement in Mali against Islamists, including by providing logistical support, information sharing and surveillance drones, told AFP a U.S. official.

The U.S. Army is investigating the possibility of providing information, in-flight refueling and other support to French forces in Mali, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

[link to translate.google.com]

You nailed it OP

I expected it to start about a month ago, but the fake peace talks slowed things down.

You nailed it indeed DD.

State of emergency declared in Mali
[link to edition.cnn.com]

French pilot killed in Mali fighting
[link to www.dw.de]

France had a disastrous failed hostage operation in Somalia at the same time
[link to www.bbc.co.uk]

Thanks IFUN & Chrit - I should have said WE correctly predicted Mali...

Look who's back. America's favorite patsy (I mean trainee), Capt. Sanogo, will be leading forces at the front.

[link to translate.google.com]

Here's the interesting question. Do they still need him around for any reason? If not, I expect a quick & heroic death.

My tweeter timeline is filled with tweets re: West African countries sending troops or supplies into Mali...

Too much to repeat here - but I'll provide a couple of tweets re;: involvement of Burkina Faso to give flavor -

Guillaume Steuer (@G_Steuer)
1/12/13, 9:19 AM
#Mali #Serval French helos launched from FOB set up close to Burkina/Mali border, but on Burkinese soil. Ouagadougou is main operating base.

Abdoulaye Diarra (@Abdou_diarra)
1/12/13, 9:41 AM
#Mali : le Burkina Faso envoie un bataillon de 500 hommes en soutien des forces maliennes et françaises @RFI

Anyone heard from NovaMom?

French warplanes have bombed Ansar Dine positions in Lere (which is near Mauritanian border)

The Ansar Dine capture of Lere from MNLA is discussed in earlier posts.

Source - Mauritanian state news agency (google translate is turning Lere into Lira)

No idea if these are same jets that were deployed overnight from Chad.

[link to translate.google.com]

The official Facebook page of the French Army is posting pics and details about their operations in Mali.

[link to www.facebook.com (secure)]

Mopping up in Konna (French media reports)

The Malian army attacked on Saturday "last pockets of resistance" of Islamist Konna after leading the day-one against successful attack with the aid of French allies to reclaim this city in central Mali and stop the offensive jihad from the North, officials said a military source.


[link to translate.google.com]

Local Reports -

Otages au Mali (@otagesmali)
1/12/13, 10:31 AM
#mali #otages Ansar Dine dit avoir abattu 2 hélicoptères français

Two French helicopters have been shot down in Mali...

There are also reports that hospitals & private homes in GAO are filled with injured Islamists...

Inflection Point - Mali today

French forces are on the ground in Mali along with forces from Nigeria & Senegal. Forces from ECOWAS (additional West African countries) are on their way.

French jets are attacking Islamist held target throughout country; ground operations are occurring in Center of Country (around Mopti, Severe & Konna). French media reports that French forces are "mopping up" in Konna.

The United States has stated that it will provide logistical support.

There are reports that Islamists have already shot down 2 French helicopters; French fighter jets from as far away as Chad (and Chad is far away) are seeing action.

Two Big Questions -

1) Greater US Involvement?

In Libya, there were reports that US had to "stay in" because when they tried to turn over operations to the Europeans, it didn't go well (See Danish reports)

No matter what you hear in Western Media, I'm getting reports from ground (through twitter) that its not going so well...

Does anyone know if USMC deployment from Camp Lejune is related?

2) Does anyone think this is spur of the moment action based upon Islamists seizure of Konna THIS WEEK? Anyone think this is simply speeding up of Western Intervention planned for 3rd quarter 2013 (that was announced timeline)? If you believe that, I have some great investment advice...

New York Tines article on Mali -

...France intervened Friday, dropping bombs and firing rockets from helicopter gunships and jet fighters after the Islamist rebels who already control the north of Mali pressed southward, overrunning the village of Konna. The French, who had earlier said they would not intervene militarily but only help African troops, took action in response to an appeal by the Malian president.

France, the United States and other Western nations have been increasingly anxious about the Islamists’ tightening grip on the north of the country, which they said was becoming a haven for militants, including those with links to Al Qaeda, who threaten not only their neighbors, but the West. On Saturday, Adm. Édouard Guillaud, the chief of staff of the French armed forces, said that French forces had no current plans to extend operations to northern areas controlled by the Islamists, but would expect to help African forces do the job when they arrive....


[link to nyti.ms]

Ansar Dine just released a statement that they are no associated w/ Al Qaeda and that most of the people dying in Konna are innocent civilians

these elitist fucks are starting wars now,when they feel like it.

no discussions in there congresses or parliaments,just do as they please.

these bastards need stopping NOW.