Mali: France bombs Islamist strongholds; SC to convene
French fighter jets pounded rebel strongholds deep in northern Mali on Sunday as Paris poured more troops into the capital Bamako, awaiting a West African force to dislodge al Qaeda-linked insurgents from the country's north. The attacks on Islamist positions near the ancient desert trading town of Timbuktu and Gao, marked a decisive intensification of the French mission, which is determined to end Islamist domination of northern Mali.
Brieuc Pont, a spokesman for the French UN Mission, said the Security Council will meet Monday at France's request "to examine the situation in Mali." (News Agencies)
