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| Mali conflict: 'First suicide bombing' in Gao | Mali conflict: 'First suicide bombing' in Gao |
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| A suicide bomber has blown himself up in the northern Mali town of Gao - the country's first such case, sources say. | A suicide bomber has blown himself up in the northern Mali town of Gao - the country's first such case, sources say. |
| The attacker approached a group of soldiers on a motorbike before detonating an explosive belt, injuring one of them, a Malian officer told AFP. | The attacker approached a group of soldiers on a motorbike before detonating an explosive belt, injuring one of them, a Malian officer told AFP. |
| Gao is the most populous city in northern Mali, where French-led troops have ousted Islamist militants from the main towns. | Gao is the most populous city in northern Mali, where French-led troops have ousted Islamist militants from the main towns. |
| Meanwhile, rival army factions have exchanged fire in the capital, Bamako. | Meanwhile, rival army factions have exchanged fire in the capital, Bamako. |
| Heavily armed soldiers attacked a camp of elite paratroopers, leaving "many injured", a soldier insider the camp told AFP. | Heavily armed soldiers attacked a camp of elite paratroopers, leaving "many injured", a soldier insider the camp told AFP. |
| A BBC reporter in the city said he had heard shooting. A Malian defence official told Reuters news agency the "Red Beret" paratroopers had mutinied after being disciplined. | A BBC reporter in the city said he had heard shooting. A Malian defence official told Reuters news agency the "Red Beret" paratroopers had mutinied after being disciplined. |
| In Paris, the UN's cultural agency Unesco says it plans to help rebuild 11 mausoleums and tombs that were destroyed by the militants when they fled the historic city of Timbuktu. | In Paris, the UN's cultural agency Unesco says it plans to help rebuild 11 mausoleums and tombs that were destroyed by the militants when they fled the historic city of Timbuktu. |
| An initial cost of the damage to the city's rich cultural heritage has been put at $4-5m but Unesco warns that the figure could rise. | An initial cost of the damage to the city's rich cultural heritage has been put at $4-5m but Unesco warns that the figure could rise. |
| Director-General Irina Bokova, who has just returned from Timbuktu, said she was sending out experts to assess the extent of the damage. | Director-General Irina Bokova, who has just returned from Timbuktu, said she was sending out experts to assess the extent of the damage. |
| Mines check | Mines check |
| The suicide bomber detonated his explosives after approaching a checkpoint on the outskirts of Gao at about 06:30GMT, witnesses said. | The suicide bomber detonated his explosives after approaching a checkpoint on the outskirts of Gao at about 06:30GMT, witnesses said. |
| It is the first known suicide attack in Mali since France sent some 4,000 troops into the north on 11 January to oust the militants. | It is the first known suicide attack in Mali since France sent some 4,000 troops into the north on 11 January to oust the militants. |
| The BBC's Mamadou Moussa Ba in Gao says there is an increased military presence in the city, with patrols and checkpoints run by troops from France, Mali and neighbouring Niger. | The BBC's Mamadou Moussa Ba in Gao says there is an increased military presence in the city, with patrols and checkpoints run by troops from France, Mali and neighbouring Niger. |
| He says there are fears that mines could have been left in the town, with schools and the town hall in particular being checked carefully. | He says there are fears that mines could have been left in the town, with schools and the town hall in particular being checked carefully. |
| On Thursday, there were unconfirmed reports that four Malian soldiers had been killed by a landmine on a road near Gao, with one of the militant groups saying it had carried out the attack. | On Thursday, there were unconfirmed reports that four Malian soldiers had been killed by a landmine on a road near Gao, with one of the militant groups saying it had carried out the attack. |
| The "Red Beret" paratroopers were the elite presidential guard tasked with protecting former President Amadou Toumani Toure, who was ousted in a military coup in March 2012. Some of the troops have since been arrested, and the force as a whole is largely considered to have been sidelined since Mr Toure's fall from power. | The "Red Beret" paratroopers were the elite presidential guard tasked with protecting former President Amadou Toumani Toure, who was ousted in a military coup in March 2012. Some of the troops have since been arrested, and the force as a whole is largely considered to have been sidelined since Mr Toure's fall from power. |
| They had reportedly mutinied over attempts to disperse them as a force before sending them to join the fight against the Islamists. | They had reportedly mutinied over attempts to disperse them as a force before sending them to join the fight against the Islamists. |
| Witnesses said their barracks were stormed by "Green Beret" soldiers allied to the leadership of the coup. A doctor at the scene told the Associated Press that at least one person had died and five were wounded, but this has not been confirmed. | Witnesses said their barracks were stormed by "Green Beret" soldiers allied to the leadership of the coup. A doctor at the scene told the Associated Press that at least one person had died and five were wounded, but this has not been confirmed. |
| One nearby resident said the incident had made her ashamed to be Malian. | One nearby resident said the incident had made her ashamed to be Malian. |
| "I don't understand how at a moment when French and African forces are here to fight our war in our place... Malian soldiers, instead of going to fight at the front, are fighting over a stupid quarrel," Assa told Reuters. | "I don't understand how at a moment when French and African forces are here to fight our war in our place... Malian soldiers, instead of going to fight at the front, are fighting over a stupid quarrel," Assa told Reuters. |
| French troops have retaken control of the north's main towns, and are now, along with some 1,000 Chadian troops led by the president's son, moving into the href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21326831" >mountains near the Algerian border where the militants are reported to have fled. | |
| They say they have taken Tessalit, a strategic town in the mountains with its own airport, on Friday. | They say they have taken Tessalit, a strategic town in the mountains with its own airport, on Friday. |
| The militants took advantage of last year's coup to extend their control across the whole of northern Mali - an area of the Sahara Desert larger than France. | The militants took advantage of last year's coup to extend their control across the whole of northern Mali - an area of the Sahara Desert larger than France. |
| Several different militant groups joined together to fight Mali's army - some ethnic Tuareg groups were fighting for independence for northern Mali, while others had an Islamist agenda and were allied to al-Qaeda, with reports of foreign jihadis joining them. | Several different militant groups joined together to fight Mali's army - some ethnic Tuareg groups were fighting for independence for northern Mali, while others had an Islamist agenda and were allied to al-Qaeda, with reports of foreign jihadis joining them. |