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| Islamist Fighters Slip Back Into Timbuktu and Are Repelled by French and Malians | Islamist Fighters Slip Back Into Timbuktu and Are Repelled by French and Malians |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| PARIS — A small band of radical Islamist fighters battled French and Malian soldiers for hours in a firefight in Timbuktu on Sunday after infiltrating the Malian city overnight, Malian officials and witnesses said. | PARIS — A small band of radical Islamist fighters battled French and Malian soldiers for hours in a firefight in Timbuktu on Sunday after infiltrating the Malian city overnight, Malian officials and witnesses said. |
| The fighting, which was preceded by a suicide attack at a military checkpoint on Saturday night, was the first such violence to reach downtown Timbuktu since January, when French forces arrived and forced out the jihadists who had seized the city in 2012. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. | The fighting, which was preceded by a suicide attack at a military checkpoint on Saturday night, was the first such violence to reach downtown Timbuktu since January, when French forces arrived and forced out the jihadists who had seized the city in 2012. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. |
| “It started after a suicide car bombing” about 10 p.m. on Saturday, Capt. Modibo Naman Traoré of the Malian Army told Reuters. That attack, he said, “served to distract the military and allow a group of jihadists to infiltrate the city by night.” | “It started after a suicide car bombing” about 10 p.m. on Saturday, Capt. Modibo Naman Traoré of the Malian Army told Reuters. That attack, he said, “served to distract the military and allow a group of jihadists to infiltrate the city by night.” |
| The attackers appeared to number perhaps 10 or 15, said the French military spokesman, Col. Thierry Burkhard. He said “a half-dozen” were confirmed killed. One French soldier was wounded and evacuated by helicopter for medical treatment, Colonel Burkhard said. A handful of Malian soldiers were wounded, according to news media reports. | The attackers appeared to number perhaps 10 or 15, said the French military spokesman, Col. Thierry Burkhard. He said “a half-dozen” were confirmed killed. One French soldier was wounded and evacuated by helicopter for medical treatment, Colonel Burkhard said. A handful of Malian soldiers were wounded, according to news media reports. |
| After the suicide attack, fighters arriving on foot were able to “skirt” the checkpoint, said the mayor, Ousmane Hallé. By Sunday, the fighters had reached the city center, Mr. Hallé said by telephone. | After the suicide attack, fighters arriving on foot were able to “skirt” the checkpoint, said the mayor, Ousmane Hallé. By Sunday, the fighters had reached the city center, Mr. Hallé said by telephone. |
| “They had said Timbuktu was secured,” the mayor lamented. The fighting had ceased by about 3 p.m. on Sunday, he said, though military aircraft, presumably French, continued to circle in the skies above Timbuktu. Two patrols of French fighter aircraft had been sent to Timbuktu, according to Colonel Burkhard, the military spokesman, but they did not fire any munitions. | “They had said Timbuktu was secured,” the mayor lamented. The fighting had ceased by about 3 p.m. on Sunday, he said, though military aircraft, presumably French, continued to circle in the skies above Timbuktu. Two patrols of French fighter aircraft had been sent to Timbuktu, according to Colonel Burkhard, the military spokesman, but they did not fire any munitions. |
| Since jihadist fighters were driven out of Timbuktu in January, French and Malian forces have clashed regularly with Islamist fighters a few hundred miles east, in and around Gao, the other major population center of the Malian north. Timbuktu, by contrast, has largely been spared violence. | Since jihadist fighters were driven out of Timbuktu in January, French and Malian forces have clashed regularly with Islamist fighters a few hundred miles east, in and around Gao, the other major population center of the Malian north. Timbuktu, by contrast, has largely been spared violence. |
| Fighters mounted a similar attack on the city 10 days ago, however, in which several Islamist fighters and a Malian soldier were killed, Malian and French officials said. That attack began with a suicide bombing and reportedly involved as many as 30 Islamist fighters. It was put down by French and Malian soldiers, supported by French combat aircraft, and the attackers did not reach the city center. | Fighters mounted a similar attack on the city 10 days ago, however, in which several Islamist fighters and a Malian soldier were killed, Malian and French officials said. That attack began with a suicide bombing and reportedly involved as many as 30 Islamist fighters. It was put down by French and Malian soldiers, supported by French combat aircraft, and the attackers did not reach the city center. |
| The jihadist group that maintained control of Gao until earlier this year, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, claimed responsibility for that attack, Agence France-Presse reported. France reinforced its military presence in Timbuktu in response to that attack. | The jihadist group that maintained control of Gao until earlier this year, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, claimed responsibility for that attack, Agence France-Presse reported. France reinforced its military presence in Timbuktu in response to that attack. |
| France intervened militarily in Mali in January after Islamist fighters began a southward offensive, prompting an urgent plea for assistance by the interim president, Dioncounda Traoré. About 4,000 French troops are deployed there, along with 4,800 Malian soldiers and 6,300 troops from several other African nations. French military operations have been concentrated mostly in the craggy desert mountains of the Adrar des Ifoghas, in the far north, a redoubt for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. | France intervened militarily in Mali in January after Islamist fighters began a southward offensive, prompting an urgent plea for assistance by the interim president, Dioncounda Traoré. About 4,000 French troops are deployed there, along with 4,800 Malian soldiers and 6,300 troops from several other African nations. French military operations have been concentrated mostly in the craggy desert mountains of the Adrar des Ifoghas, in the far north, a redoubt for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. |
| Joined by Chadian forces, the French have reportedly killed several hundred jihadist fighters in the area, including a top Qaeda commander known as Abu Zeid, whose death has been confirmed by French and Chadian authorities. French officials have said that combat operations in the Adrar des Ifoghas are largely complete. | Joined by Chadian forces, the French have reportedly killed several hundred jihadist fighters in the area, including a top Qaeda commander known as Abu Zeid, whose death has been confirmed by French and Chadian authorities. French officials have said that combat operations in the Adrar des Ifoghas are largely complete. |
| “We have reached our objectives,” President François Hollande of France said in a television interview last week, pledging that a withdrawal of French troops will begin at the end of April. | “We have reached our objectives,” President François Hollande of France said in a television interview last week, pledging that a withdrawal of French troops will begin at the end of April. |
| French forces are to number 2,000 by July, when presidential and legislative elections are scheduled in Mali, and about 1,000 by the end of the year, Mr. Hollande said. | French forces are to number 2,000 by July, when presidential and legislative elections are scheduled in Mali, and about 1,000 by the end of the year, Mr. Hollande said. |
| But the elections will be contingent upon the security conditions in the country, and many analysts and diplomats are doubtful that they will be held as scheduled. | But the elections will be contingent upon the security conditions in the country, and many analysts and diplomats are doubtful that they will be held as scheduled. |
| On Saturday, Mr. Traoré announced the formation of a government commission for “dialogue and reconciliation,” whose task is to ease tensions between the military and the government and between the government and the populations of the north, which have long complained of neglect by Bamako. | On Saturday, Mr. Traoré announced the formation of a government commission for “dialogue and reconciliation,” whose task is to ease tensions between the military and the government and between the government and the populations of the north, which have long complained of neglect by Bamako. |
| It is also charged with reconciling the government and ethnic Tuareg separatist fighters, who drove the Malian Army out of northern Mali last year, before Islamist fighters overran the territory and seized control. | It is also charged with reconciling the government and ethnic Tuareg separatist fighters, who drove the Malian Army out of northern Mali last year, before Islamist fighters overran the territory and seized control. |
| Tuareg militias still operate alongside French and African forces in the north, despite strained relations with the Malian Army and the government in Bamako. The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad — the name used by Tuareg separatists to designate the Malian north — has accused Malian soldiers of widespread abuse of Tuareg civilians. |