Paris TV News

In Mali, Africa, French forces confirmed the killing of Abdelhamid Abou Zeid in the French offensive in Mali last Saturday. Abou Zeid is one of the most feared commanders of the terrorist group al-Qaida that resides in Africa.

Abou Zeid raised millions of dollars by kidnapping western hostages. His death deals a fatal blow to al-Qaida’s North African forces and the Islamist rebels fighting against the French in Northern Mali. It was, however, a great victory to the French forces. However, the location of Abou Zeid’s other French hostages are still in question.

France’s recent DNA tests confirms the identity of Abou Zeid and had made an official statement to different world news groups.

France first launched an offensive against Mali through an air and ground campaign from January 11 because the terrorists presented a threat to international security. The Islamists have backed a Tuareg rebellion in Mali that had demoralized Mali’s army, which easily led to the invasion of the terrorist group.

The French Mali Offensive had  been hit back with several Islamist militant suicide bombings and the al-Qaida Northern Forces confirmed through their spokesman that they had beheaded a French hostage because of Paris’ attacks. The French government continues to worry and work on the 14 hostages the Northern Forces still hold.

Source: Northumberlandtoday.com

The French troops advancing to Mali’s Timbuktu had captured a string of other towns from the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), an al-Qaeda linked group that captured the town April last year. French Air Strikes attacked the home of the Al-Qaeda town overnight and have seized the city of Gao in their ongoing campaign against the Mali terrorists.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said that the troops continued to advance to Timbuktu and Gao is the biggest of six towns seized by the French troops since January 11. On  Sunday, along with the capture of Gao, the French troops also destroyed the home of Ansar Dine Chief Iyad Ag Ghaly during the air raids in the Islamist bases of Kidal.

The capture of Mali’s towns by the rebels were a result of a previous coup attempt in April last year in Bamako. Tuareg rebels who wanted to have an independent homeland seized the towns, Kidal first then Gao and Timbuktu. The Islamists joined their cause, and imposed a harsh version of Sharia law comparable to the Taliban’s laws, including banning smoking and music, and having women wear veils.

Citizens of Mali were confident in the French and Mali troop efforts to free the remaining towns. In anguish, they recalled the rebels looting and destroying the mausoleums of saints and amputated people who committed petty crimes such as stealing.

Source: Pakistan Today

Israel commended France’s campaign in Mali to stop “terrorism” in Mali as it is potentially at the “doorstep of France and Europe”, but it saw the world support given to the campaign as a form of hypocrisy. In the point of view of Israel the ruling government of Palestine Hamas is a terrorist group, though the UN  made their negotiations with them and most of the world approved of this. Most nations practically condemned Israel’s attacks against Hamas, saying that it is unjust.

France recently increased its military presence and campaigns in Mali over the last weeks at the request of Mali’s government. The west African nation is currently held by terrorists who are imposing a harsh form of Sharia muslim law on citizens. Observers report civilian casualties, including women and children, under the rule of the terrorists.

Israel’s Ambassador to UN Ron Prosor talked to the UN Security Council last Wednesday and pointed out that he thinks it is a double-standard that France gets world support for fighting terrorists “at their doorstep” while Israel “cannot fight a terrorist just inside their living room”. Prosor pointed out the lack of world support for their actions against Gaza and he only intends that the world would support Israel’s campaign against terrorism on their borders as well (Source: Israel Today).  The analogy fails to appeal to the minds of most people – the French are considered as doing the right thing internationally.  Israel cannot be said to do be doing the same.