mali. The French carry out a helicopter raid near the Algerian border

(B2 with AFP) On the night of February 13 to 14, 2018, French forces engaged in the Sahel carried out an operation on three objectives of armed terrorist groups, in the northeast of Mali, between Boughessa and Tin-Zaouatène, indicated Thursday the army general staff. In fact a few hundred meters from the Algerian border.
Near Algeria
The operation took place near Inaghalawass, a wadi 900 meters from the Algerian border, between 4:40 a.m. and 5:20 a.m. (GMT and local) », A foreign security source present in Mali told AFP. “ It was the base of the head of the network, Iyad Ag Ghaly, in Tinzaouatène which was the main target of this operation. ».
Airstrikes and helicopter assaults
The operation began with simultaneous airstrikes on the objectives, followed by helicopter assaults supported by Tiger helicopters and concluded by a ground engagement ". The balance sheet, provisoire at this stage is of a " twenty terrorists killed or captured, three vehicles destroyed, weapons recovered, as well as a large number of documents seized ". A relative of the jihadist leader, a former colonel in the Malian army who had defected, was killed in this raid, said the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa).
Several security operations in the area of the three borders
At the same time, several joint security operations (with Malian forces) were conducted in the three-border area (between Mali, Niger and Algeria) by Operation Barkhane. The operations were mainly concentrated around Ménaka. Joint patrols with the Malian armed forces were also conducted in Ansongo by the French military present under the operational military partnership. In northern Mali, the "Terre Désert Cuirassier" group was engaged in security and area control operations on the axis linking Almoustarat and Tarikent. Joint patrols were conducted with the Malian armed forces.
(NGV and AFP)