France confirms major air strikes in Mali

PARIS - French troops launched major air strikes overnight against Islamist extremists in northeastern Mali, French news channel BFMTV reported on Sunday.

"Important air strikes... in north of Kidal and the Tessalit region" was taking place near Algerian border and where the presumed Islamist fighters were hiding after losing main Malian cities, BFMTV reported, citing Thierry Burkhard, spokesman for the French army.

A Malian army officer perspires as France's President Francois Hollande (L) looks at a crowd in Independence Plaza in Bamako, Mali Feb 2, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

The air raid came a few hours after French President Franois Hollande's visit to the West African country. Thirty warplanes including jets fighters, reconnaissance aircrafts pounded Islamists's stronghold in northern Mali, according to Burkhard.

On January 11, France intervened at the request of Malian authorities to help quashing rebels including Al-Qaida's North African branch AQIM from the northern region.

With 3,500 French soldiers and African troops sent in to battle the rebels vowing to impose Sharia law throughout Mali, the Malian army has quickly taken back the northern towns of Cao, Timbuktu and Kidal, the capitals of the three northern regions sharing the same names respectively.

On Saturday, Hollande paid a one-day visit to the former French colony, pledging to withdraw his troops from Mali once the country has restored sovereignty over its national territory and a UN-backed African military force can take over from French soldiers.