France boosts troop strength in Mali to 1,400January 18, 2013 - 11:18 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - France has increased its troop strength in Mali to 1,400 to help fight militant Islamists in the north, the French defence minister has said, according to BBC News. France said it launched military action in its former colony last Friday to stop it becoming a "terrorist state" after a rapid advance by the Islamists. Heavy fighting has been continuing, with French forces bombing Diabaly, 350km (220 miles) north of the capital. Troops pledged by West African nations have also started arriving in Mali. Some 100 Togolese soldiers landed in Bamako on Thursday, January 17 with 80 Nigerian troops expected shortly. In Brussels, the EU foreign ministers agreed to press ahead with sending a team to train the weak Malian army. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |