The Command of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), which is in alliance with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Ansar al-Din, reported about a new victory over the secular rebels who tried to dislodge the Mujahideen from their positions, reported AFP.
MUJAO Mujahideen defeated democratic militants near the town of Gao (see map), in north-eastern Mali.
"They are firing in the air and saying Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar (God is greater), we have won", one resident told AFP.
"A six-vehicle convoy of their fighters drove into the town from the north firing in the air as if they had just come from the front", another witness told AFP.
The town of Gao and the region of the same name have been liberated by the Malian Mujahideen since June, when the secular rebels violated a treaty with them and opened fire on unarmed residents who staged a demonstration against the tyranny of the nationalists. Then Mujahideen allied with al-Qaeda movement came to defend Muslims and pushed the nationalists out of Gao.
On Friday, democratic militants attacked the Mujahideen but suffered a heavy defeat that saw about a dozen of their men killed, regional sources said. Among those injured was a senior commander of secular rebels.
According to the agency, AQIM has sent as reinforcements to MUJAO Mujahideen about 300 fighters.
In turn, democrats said they "killed about 55 Islamists" and "a hundred wounded", and estimated their losses as "9 wounded".
Meanwhile on Tuesday, Tuareg Mujahideen completely expelled Tuareg nationalists from their last stronghold in the north of Mali.
This has been reported by the Western media. MUJAO fighters drove the last remnants of democratic fighters out of the town of Menaka (see map)
Oumar Ould Hamaha, spokesman of the Mujahideen, said the democratic militants were forced to retreat from the town on Tuesday after heavy fighting. More than 100 people have been killed in the fightings.
The command of nationalists based in the French capital of Paris denied its defeat: MLNA spokesman Moussa Ag Assarid said his group is allegedly "still fighting in parts of Menaka".
However, for example, VOA, with reference to local residents and officials of the puppet capital of Bamako, confirmed that the Mujahideen are controlling the town.
Department of Monitoring
Kavkaz Center
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