France said on Monday that the Mali fighters have retreated in the east of the African country, but acknowledged that its forces were facing a difficult situation in the west.
France said on Monday that the Mali fighters have retreated in the east of the African country, but acknowledged that its forces were facing a difficult situation in the west.
Few days after France started its military interventio
n in Mali. Paris said the objective was to force the Islamists, who have controlled northern Mali since April 2012, to retreat from territory in the center of the country which they seized last week.
"The situation is developing in line with the expectations" of French President Francois Hollande and is "developing favorably", Le Drian told reporters.
"In the east of Mali, the terrorist groups' advance was blocked, the city of Konna was abandoned and the terrorist groups retreated towards Douentza," he said.
"In Gao, there was some targeted firing on the rear base of (Al-Qaeda offshoot) MUJAO, which gave some extremely tangible results and led to this terrorist group's dispersion towards the east and the south," Le Drian said.
He added however that the situation "remains difficult in the West," where French and Malian forces are confronting "extremely well-armed groups".
