VOICED : Mali town counts dead

In central Mali, Islamist rebels seized control on January 10th, but were ousted by Malian and French forces a week later. The rebels retreated due to impending airstrikes, which helped halt the advance of al Qaeda-linked Islamists towards Bamako. However, the airstrikes resulted in casualties, including a French pilot, Malian troops, Islamist fighters, and civilians. Local resident Idrissa Maigre lost his family to the strikes. Despite the lack of official casualty numbers, local authorities reported four deaths. The deputy mayor highlighted the positive impact of the military's arrival, which restored safety and normalcy in Connor, though the memory of the conflict lingers.

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