Bamako: Several fighters of al Qaeda’s African wing were killed in a joint military operation of Malian and Mauritanian forces in western Mali, Malian military and defense sources said on Saturday.
The fighting took place in the Wagadou forest region near Mauritania’s border, an area where fighters from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb are known to operate.
“There was fierce fighting, including heavy weapons, and there were certainly deaths,” said a Malian military source, who could not give further details on casualties.
The source said that helicopters from Mali had been used to evacuate the wounded from the area.
A Mali’s Defense Ministry source said that on Friday the government was preparing a statement. Mauritanian officials did not comment.
Governments in Africa’s Sahel region are on heightened alert since the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by US commandos in Pakistan on May 02 in a unilateral raid.
Security analysts have said AQIM, an Islamic militant group has linked with al Qaeda, may be planning vengeance attacks.
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