A French combat helicopter has bombarded an area in Mali’s northern city of Gao, where fighters have been clashing with French-led forces since February 9.
Witnesses said on Monday that the French army helicopter targeted a police station, which was used by the fighters a base last month.
On Sunday, heavy clashes were reported in the empty police station located in the center of the city.
During the early hours of Monday, a strong explosion also rocked an area near a military checkpoint in the north of Gao.
Gao was also the target of bomb attacks on Friday and Saturday.
France launched its war on Mali on January 11 under the pretext of halting the advance of the fighters in the country. The war has left thousands of Malians homeless.
On February 1, Amnesty International condemned “serious human rights breaches” including the killing of children in the French war in Mali.
The rights organization said there was “evidence that at least five civilians, including three children, were killed in an airstrike” carried out by French forces against local fighters.
Analysts believe behind the military campaign in Mali are the country’s untapped resources of oil, gold, and uranium.
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