8 killed, 14 soldiers injured in Mali

SANAA, Feb. 19 (YPA) – At least eight soldiers were killed and 14 injured, while five soldiers remained missing as a result of clashes with militants on Friday in the north of the country, Mali’s military said in a statement

According to the statement, The Malian army said with air support, had eliminated 57 militants and destroyed the places where they were holed up.

The Malian army has been fighting in the north and centre against extremist armed groups for years.

Earlier, the military group in Bamako asked France to withdraw its troops “immediately” from Mali the day after Paris and its partners announced a phased withdrawal in the coming months.

France’s Barkhane counter-terrorism force and the Takuba announced to pull up their forces from Mali, due to deteriorating relations with the new transitional authorities in the African country.

E.M