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Mali: Islamist clashes outside Gao town hall Mali: Islamist incursion in Gao 'repelled'
(about 7 hours later)
Malian troops are battling Islamist fighters near the town hall in Gao, the main city in northern Mali, an army spokesman has told the BBC. French and Malian forces have repelled Islamist fighters who seized a key building in Gao, the main city in northern Mali, officials say.
The fighting has left the town's main courthouse in flames, according to reports. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said troops had finally driven out militants occupying the city hall.
It is not the first time a group of militants have infiltrated Gao since French troops recaptured it last month. In further violence, al-Qaeda-linked rebels say they detonated a car bomb near a base housing French and Chadian troops in Kidal.
There are also reports of a car bomb near a French military camp in Kidal, the most northerly town in Mali. At least one person is reported to have been killed.
France intervened last month to help the Malian army oust Islamist militants who seized the north of Mali last year.France intervened last month to help the Malian army oust Islamist militants who seized the north of Mali last year.
Thousands of soldiers from African countries have also been deploying since then.Thousands of soldiers from African countries have also been deploying since then.
'Ordered to attack' Mr Le Drian told reporters in Brussels late on Thursday that Gao was back under government control after clashes earlier in the day.
Heavy gunfire was heard overnight in Gao - and the fighting has reportedly left the streets largely deserted. "Malian troops supported by French soldiers killed five jihadists and the situation is back to normal," he said.
Six Malian military pickup trucks have been deployed in the city's Independence Square and had opened fire with the heavy machineguns, Reuters new agency reports. It is not the first time a group of militants has infiltrated Gao since French troops recaptured it last month.
Gao's mayor Sadou Harouna Diallo told the BBC he was hiding inside the town hall and could hear the shooting outside at around midday. Malian army spokesman Diaran Kone told the BBC that between 20 and 40 militants had entered the city on Wednesday night between 23:00 and midnight.
Malian army spokesman Diaran Kone told the BBC between 20 and 40 militants had infiltrated the city on Wednesday night between 23:00 and midnight. After hours of explosions and gunfire, French and Malian forces then opened fire at the city hall with heavy machineguns, Reuters new agency reported.
Three of the rebels were killed overnight by members of the African intervention force in Gao, he said. Gao's mayor Sadou Harouna Diallo told the BBC he was hiding inside the city hall and could hear shooting outside at about midday.
A spokesman for Mujao, the Islamist group which controlled Gao for nine months, said their fighters had entered Gao on Wednesday.A spokesman for Mujao, the Islamist group which controlled Gao for nine months, said their fighters had entered Gao on Wednesday.
"Our troops have been ordered to attack. If the enemy is stronger, we'll pull back only to return stronger, until we liberate Gao," Abu Walid Sahraoui told AFP."Our troops have been ordered to attack. If the enemy is stronger, we'll pull back only to return stronger, until we liberate Gao," Abu Walid Sahraoui told AFP.
The BBC's Maud Jullien in the capital, Bamako, says it is difficult to get information from Kidal. He later said that Mujao had detonated a car bomb near a military base in Kidal.
But early reports suggest a black car drove up to a private residence about 500m (1,640ft) from camp where French and Chadian soldiers are based and exploded, killing one person and injuring two others, she says. He told AFP the group had no difficulty getting into Kidal "to blow up a vehicle as planned".
Earlier this month, two suicide attacks in Gao - the first in Mali's history - followed by fierce fighting in the town have led to fears it may be a long battle to bring security to the vast desert region. "More explosions will happen across our territory," he added.
France has said wants to start withdrawing its 4,000 soldiers from its former colony next month - and would like the African-led mission to become a UN peacekeeping operation. The BBC's Maud Jullien in the capital, Bamako, said early reports suggested a black car drove up to a private residence about 500m (1,650ft) from a camp where French and Chadian soldiers are based and exploded, killing one person and injuring two others.
Earlier this month, two suicide attacks in Gao - the first in Mali's history - followed by fierce fighting in the city have led to fears it may be a long battle to bring security to the vast desert region.
France has said it wants to start withdrawing its 4,000 soldiers from its former colony next month - and would like the African-led mission to become a UN peacekeeping operation.