French armed forces have taken the control of the airport in Kidal

Islamic fighters in Mali on the retreat

Tuesday night, January 29, 2013 the French armed forces force in Mali assumed control over the airport of the city of Kidal, which has been under the radical Islamists’ control until recently. This has been confirmed by an official of the Touareg National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, which reported this Monday about the liberation of Kidal from Islamic fighters.

French army spokesman Col Thierry Burkhard confirmed that "French elements were deployed overnight in Kidal". After the military operations on Timbukutu, French and Malian forces strengthen their positions in this area.

In Timbuktu, a new airborne operation was made with air drop of French soldiers of the 17e RGP (17th Engineer Parachute Regiment) with equipment to carry out the clearance of the runway and thus help to restore air traffic on the airport of the city. In Gao, the French Malian soldiers continue patrols around the city to prevent the return of the rebels.

In Dakar, French soldiers of the 92e RI (92nd Infantry Regiment) with VBCI armoured infantry fighting vehicles and the 1er RIMa (1st Marine Infantry Regiment) with AMX-10RCR 6x6 reconnaissance armoured vehicles continue to unload their equipment and then take the road to Mali.

African contingents reached the number of 2,900 soldiers including 1,400 Chadians, 500 Nigeriens, 400 Togolese, 200 Nigerians, 150 Burkinabe,100 Beninese and 50 Senegalese.

The Chadian armed forces have left their base of Menaka and headed towards the north of the country to support the work of the French troops in this area. At the same time the first soldiers of the Nigerien battalion have entered the town of Ansongo to take position.