Monday, November 8th, 2010 VOA News Mali and Mauritania have launched joint military patrols in an effort to combat al-Qaida-linked militants.
Malian military sources say troops from both countries are patrolling an area of northern Mali, 80 kilometers north of Timbuktu, that has seen increased activity by Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.
Malian officials say the troops will cross over into Mauritania if necessary.
The two countries are among those who recently
The group is believed to be holding five French nationals and two Africans who were kidnapped in Niger in September.
Mali’s army chief, General Gabriel Poudiougou, spent the past several days in Mauritania’s capital, meeting with officials including President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
The cooperation shows a thaw in relations between Nouakchott and Bamako, which had been strained over how to deal with AQIM.
Some information in this story was provided by AFP and Reuters.