The War in Mali: the Road to Nowhere

... Malian army garrisons, peacekeepers' bases, and French companies' personnel, all the time taking hostages. The Gates to Hell They seem to accept the French intervention because it has prevented the bloodshed that would have happened had the Tuareg and Islamists advanced further into the south-west. On January 14, field commander Omar Khamaha said that, by deploying ground troops, France has opened the gates to hell , while the Malian Islamist ideologue Abou Dadar promised that in response to attacks on Islam the jihadists would hit France straight in the heart . Although fundamentalist leaders are known for their penchant for ...