Free Republic

Mali’s interim president has named longtime public servant Django Cissoko as the country’s new prime minister, hours after the former prime minister was arrested and forced to resign by the soldiers who staged the March coup. Mali’s interim president Diouncounda Traore has appointed Django Cissoko, a former Secretary General of the West African nation’s presidency, as prime minister, Mali state television said on Tuesday. Cissoko will replace Cheick Modibo Diarra, who was forced to resign earlier in the day after he was arrested by soldiers who staged a coup in the Sahel nation in March. The presidential decree read on...

President Francois Hollande says French troops are taking part in operations against Islamists in northern Mali. French troops "have brought support this afternoon to Malian units to fight against terrorist elements", he said. Armed groups, some linked to al-Qaeda, took control of northern Mali in April. Mr Hollande said the intervention complied with international law, and had been agreed with Malian President Dioncounda Traore. A state of emergency has been declared across the country. The militants said on Thursday that they had advanced further into government-controlled territory, taking the strategic central town of Konna. Mr Hollande said French military action...

A militant Islamist leader whose forces have just conquered two-thirds of the West African state of Mali vows to launch holy war against the West. Omar Ould Hamaha, the military commander of Ansar Dine, or "Defenders of the Faith", which has scored a stunning victory in Mali against the failed state's armed forces, now controls a region larger than France which includes three paved runways that could be used to fly in weapons or drugs. He said: "Even if they (western forces) don't come here, when we have finished conquering France, we will come to the USA, we will come...