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West Africa

AP Interview: Mali wants help against land mines
Mali's foreign minister is urging international cooperation to root out extremists who littered the north of his country with land mines and who pose ...
Biden praises French action in Mali
U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden is hailing France's military intervention in Mali to drive back Islamist extremists who had seized control over much ...
Intl organizations to meet on Mali's future
Representatives of international organizations and about 45 countries will meet Tuesday in Brussels to coordinate efforts to stabilize the West ...
French forces launch airstrikes in northern Mali
French troops launched airstrikes on Islamic militant training camps and arms depots around Kidal and Tessalit in Mali's far north, defense officials ...
Israel applauds France's Mali mission
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is applauding France's decision to send combat troops to help Mali's forces fight Islamic extremists, saying it ...
At least 5 killed in Senegal's restive south
A town leader says that at least five people have been killed after rebels in Senegal's restive south raided a village and targeted a bank.
Correction: Nigeria-Plane Graveyard story
In a story Feb. 2 about Nigeria dismantling abandoned airplanes at airports around the country, The Associated Press reported erroneously what ...
French president visits Mali to cheers of support
French President Francois Hollande bathed in the cheers and accolades of the thousands of people of this embattled city on Saturday, making a ...
Syrian opposition: willing to meet with regime
Syria's top opposition leader said Friday that he was willing to sit down for talks with President Bashar Assad's government to "ease the pain of the ...
Arabs, Tuaregs in Mali face hostility amid war
Bawba Mint Baba Ahmed's dress-making teacher singled her out in front of the class, telling her: "You look like a rebel." Others threatened to slit ...
Mali jihadists in custody say tortured by military
Three suspected jihadists arrested in the days since the liberation of Timbuktu said Friday that Malian soldiers were torturing them with a method ...
Cyprus offers assault rifles to help Mali fight
A spokeswoman for Cyprus' Defense Ministry says the country is offering 2,364 assault rifles to an African-led military force to fight Islamic ...
Anouma presents appeals case to CAS
FIFA executive committee member Jacques Anouma presented his case on Friday at sports' highest court to be accepted as a Confederation of African ...
18 killed in northeast Nigeria military raid
Nigerian soldiers attacked training camps for suspected members of the radical Islamic sect Boko Haram deep in a game reserve in the nation's restive ...
French leader to visit Mali, talk of troop levels
President Francois Hollande says he'll suggest when France will reduce troop levels in Mali during a trip there Saturday, nearly four weeks after a ...
Kofi Annan tackles drug trafficking in West Africa
Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan launched a commission Thursday to tackle drug trafficking in West Africa as the region increasingly ...
UK backs talks between Syrian opposition, regime
Britain on Thursday welcomed the surprise declaration from Syria's top opposition leader that he would negotiate with President Bashar Assad's regime ...
Timbuktu revels in new freedom but fears linger
A leaflet listing the regulations for women under Islamist rule now lies in dirt here at the tribunal in Timbuktu. Rule No. 1: The veil should cover ...
5 killed in separate attacks in north Nigeria
Authorities say at least five police officers have been killed in separate attacks in northern Nigeria. Gunmen raided Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna state ...
French capture Islamists' last major Malian town
French forces met no resistance Wednesday in Kidal, the Islamists' last major town, as the two-week-old mission scored another success in its effort ...