Malian soldiers man a checkpoint on the banks of the Niger river outside Gao, northern Mali, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013. French troops began to withdraw from Timbuktu Thursday after securing the fabled city as they ramped up their mission in another northern Mali city, searching for Islamic extremists who may be mixing among the local population. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
February 08, 2013 - 2:16 AM
TIMBUKTU, Mali - A woman who lives in the military camp occupied by Mali's Red Beret presidential guard said that a contingent of soldiers from a rival unit allied with the leader of last year's military coup stormed the camp Friday morning in Mali's capital, Bamako
"Since 6 a.m., the soldiers arrived in armoured cars and pickup trucks, all of them armed to the teeth to attack our base. The women and children tried to stop them from entering the camp. They shot tear gas at us and started shooting volleys in the air," said Batoma Dicko.
Dr. Amadou Diallo, who works at the infirmary in the Djicoroni Para Camp, said there was at least one dead and five wounded.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013