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Mali conflict: 'First suicide bombing' in Gao Mali conflict: 'First suicide bombing' in Gao
(35 minutes later)
A suicide bomber has blown himself up in the northern Mali town of Gao - the first since French-led troops began their assault on Islamist militants.A suicide bomber has blown himself up in the northern Mali town of Gao - the first since French-led troops began their assault on Islamist militants.
The attacker approached a group of soldiers on a motorbike before detonating an explosive belt, injuring one of them, witnesses said.The attacker approached a group of soldiers on a motorbike before detonating an explosive belt, injuring one of them, witnesses said.
An al-Qaeda offshoot has claimed responsibility for the attack in the north's most populous city.An al-Qaeda offshoot has claimed responsibility for the attack in the north's most populous city.
Meanwhile, rival army factions have exchanged fire in the capital, Bamako.Meanwhile, rival army factions have exchanged fire in the capital, Bamako.
Heavily-armed regular soldiers attacked a camp of elite "Red Beret" paratroopers, reportedly leaving many injured.Heavily-armed regular soldiers attacked a camp of elite "Red Beret" paratroopers, reportedly leaving many injured.
In Paris, the UN's cultural agency Unesco says it plans to help rebuild 11 mausoleums and tombs that were destroyed by the militants when they fled the historic city of Timbuktu. The violence broke out on the day the first group of European Union military instructors arrived in Bamako to train up Mali's deeply-divided army.
An initial cost of the damage to the city's rich cultural heritage has been put at $4-5m but Unesco warns that the figure could rise. In Paris, the UN's cultural agency Unesco said it planned to help rebuild 11 mausoleums and tombs that were destroyed by the militants when they fled the historic city of Timbuktu.
Director-General Irina Bokova, who has just returned from Timbuktu, said she was sending out experts to assess the extent of the damage. An initial cost of the damage to the city's rich cultural heritage has been put at $4-5m but Unesco warns that the figure could rise once its experts begin to assess the damage.
Mines checkMines check
The suicide bomber detonated his explosives after approaching a checkpoint on the outskirts of Gao at about 06:30 GMT, witnesses said.The suicide bomber detonated his explosives after approaching a checkpoint on the outskirts of Gao at about 06:30 GMT, witnesses said.
It is the first known suicide attack in Mali since France sent some 4,000 troops into the north on 11 January to help the Malian army oust the militants.It is the first known suicide attack in Mali since France sent some 4,000 troops into the north on 11 January to help the Malian army oust the militants.
The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (Mujao), an off-shoot of al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack "against the Malian soldiers who chose the side of the miscreants, the enemies of Islam". The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (Mujao), an offshoot of al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack "against the Malian soldiers who chose the side of the miscreants, the enemies of Islam", and vowed to carry out further attacks.
"Other suicide bombers are on the ground to accomplish Allah's work against miscreants and their accomplices," Mujao spokesman Abou Walid Sahraoui told the AFP news agency, vowing further attacks.
The BBC's Mamadou Moussa Ba in Gao says there is an increased military presence in the city, with patrols and checkpoints run by troops from France, Mali and neighbouring Niger.The BBC's Mamadou Moussa Ba in Gao says there is an increased military presence in the city, with patrols and checkpoints run by troops from France, Mali and neighbouring Niger.
He says there are fears that mines could have been left in the town, with schools and the town hall in particular being checked carefully.He says there are fears that mines could have been left in the town, with schools and the town hall in particular being checked carefully.
On Thursday, there were unconfirmed reports that four Malian soldiers had been killed by a landmine on a road near Gao, with one of the militant groups saying it had carried out the attack.On Thursday, there were unconfirmed reports that four Malian soldiers had been killed by a landmine on a road near Gao, with one of the militant groups saying it had carried out the attack.
'Strategic town''Strategic town'
The "Red Beret" paratroopers are part of a squad that has remained loyal to former President Amadou Toumani Toure, who was ousted in a military coup in March 2012. Witnesses said the Bamako base of the "Red Beret" paratroopers was stormed by soldiers allied to the leadership of the coup.
Some of the troops have since been arrested, and the force as a whole is largely considered to have been sidelined since Mr Toure's fall from power. Nearby residents fled in panic as sounds of heavy gunfire and smoke emanated from the barracks on the Niger river.
A doctor at the scene told the Associated Press that at least one person had died and five were wounded, but this has not been confirmed.
The Red Beret paratroopers protected President Amadou Toumani Toure before he was ousted in a military coup in March 2012, and have been largely sidelined since then.
They had reportedly mutinied over attempts to disperse them as a force before sending them to join the fight against the Islamists.They had reportedly mutinied over attempts to disperse them as a force before sending them to join the fight against the Islamists.
Witnesses said their barracks were stormed by "Green Beret" soldiers allied to the leadership of the coup. A doctor at the scene told the Associated Press that at least one person had died and five were wounded, but this has not been confirmed. One local resident said the incident had made her ashamed to be Malian.
One nearby resident said the incident had made her ashamed to be Malian.
"I don't understand how at a moment when French and African forces are here to fight our war in our place... Malian soldiers, instead of going to fight at the front, are fighting over a stupid quarrel," Assa told Reuters."I don't understand how at a moment when French and African forces are here to fight our war in our place... Malian soldiers, instead of going to fight at the front, are fighting over a stupid quarrel," Assa told Reuters.
The fighting has coincided with the arrival of 70 EU trainers, who are the first of an eventual 500 military instructors deployed to build up the Malian army.
Colonel Bruno Heluin, commander of the group, said the aim was to "enable the Malian army to hold all the nation's territory, and so that Mali can have a good army at its disposal, prepared to engage".
French troops have retaken control of the north's main towns, and are now, along with some 1,000 Chadian troops led by the president's son, moving into the mountains near the Algerian border where the militants are reported to have fled.French troops have retaken control of the north's main towns, and are now, along with some 1,000 Chadian troops led by the president's son, moving into the mountains near the Algerian border where the militants are reported to have fled.
They said on Friday they had taken Tessalit, a strategic town in the mountains with its own airport.They said on Friday they had taken Tessalit, a strategic town in the mountains with its own airport.
The militants took advantage of last year's coup to extend their control across the whole of northern Mali - an area of the Sahara Desert larger than France.
Several different militant groups joined together to fight Mali's army - some ethnic Tuareg groups were fighting for independence for northern Mali, while others had an Islamist agenda and were allied to al-Qaeda, with reports of foreign jihadis joining them.
They fled their strongholds with very little resistance when the French and Malian troops began their sweep through northern Mali, but observers say the next phase - clearing militants from their mountain hideouts - could be more difficult.