Franco-Malian offensive frees Timbuktu as the last major Mali town held by jihadi militias, but French moves handing over campaign against al-Qaeda allies in Mali to African forces raise doubts about future success.
Mali
Mali: Timbuktu Locals Saved Some of City’s Ancient Manuscripts from Islamists
For the Treasures of Timbuktu, a Moment of Grave Peril
As France and its allies try to root out Islamist militants in northern Mali, worry grows over the fate of precious manuscripts in the ancient city
War in Mali: France and African Allies Take on Islamist Militants
In March 2012, separatist rebels and Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda exploited the political chaos following a coup in Mali and overran half of the northwest African country. Nine months later, after dawdling in the capital …
The Malian Front: France Wins First Round of the War, but Now What?
Algeria’s Hostage Crisis: Did the Jihadists Have Inside Help?
As death toll in Algerian hostage attack grows, security officials examine Europe’s exposure to terror by al Qaeda-lined groups vowing revenge against France and the West for military intervention in Mali’s jihad.
In Mali’s Shadow: A Short History of French Military Mishaps in Africa
The French are not cheese-eating surrender monkeys. That’s an old canard—you know, a French word—sealed by unfortunate performances in the World Wars. But, as France’s robust recent intervention into Mali shows, …
Algeria’s Hostage Crisis: What Was Behind a Shadowy Militant Leader’s Plot?
As the Algerian hostage drama neared day four confusion remained high, information tight, and speculation about multiple motives behind the terror strike emerge
Why Afghan Ghosts Haunt France’s Mali Intervention
Comparisons with Afghanistan are inevitable when any Western country sends its military to war in a Muslim country where al-Qaeda has set up shop — and the comparison may be a particularly uncomfortable one for France’s …
Westerners Kidnapped in North Africa — but Is France the Real Target?
Less than a week into France’s military intervention against Islamist militias in Mali, evidence builds confirming French concerns that their country has become the main focus of jihadi terrorist activity
War in Mali: France Can Bomb Militants, but Not Arms Routes
To fight a war, you need three essentials: weapons, fighters and cash
The Crisis in Mali: Will French Air Strikes Stop the Islamist Advance?
The de facto al-Qaeda state in northern Mali surprised the world by moving forces toward the capital Bamako. Now France and its African allies have been galvanized into action. But will it be sufficient?
Mali’s Crisis: Is the Plan for Western Intervention ‘Crap’?
Though significant differences over details remain, French officials tell TIME to expect an international intervention plan into Mali to get accepted by the U.N. before the year’s end