Mauritanian army kills 20 in Al-Qaeda attack: military
Mauritanian soldiers killed 20 north African Al-Qaeda members in a counter-strike Tuesday after they launched an attack on an army base in a region becoming a flashpoint of extremist violence, military sources said.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) attacked an army base near the town of Bassiknou in the extreme south of the country near the Malian border in the troubled desert area.
"The army riposte was strong and effective, causing 20 deaths among the assailants. Ten were taken prisoner and at least three vehicles were destroyed," a military source said on condition of anonymity.
"The army is pushing to catch those who escaped before nightfall. A chase is under way with the support of military aircraft."
Military sources said that upon attack, the Mauritanian army issued a swift counter-attack with the aid of the air force, resulting in a battle which lasted "less than an hour".
While the military did not speak of wounded, a hospital source contacted by AFP said four Mauritanian soldiers had been wounded in the attack and taken to a medical facility in Bassiknou.
Meanwhile AQIM issued a statement to the private Nouakchott news agency, saying "25 vehicles took part in the operation.... The operation was well prepared and carried out with top mujahideen leaders."
The gunfire and explosions were heard by inhabitants of the town, and Mauritanian public television confirmed the attack.
"Terrorist elements attacked one of our bases on Tuesday afternoon and after a counter-strike from the base the criminals fled towards Mali where they are currently being pursued," said the broadcast.
On June 24, the Mauritanian army destroyed an AQIM base during a raid in the Wagadou forest in northeastern Mali.
The Mauritanian army said the base had housed heavy anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons which posed a threat to the country, and reported the deaths of 15 AQIM members and two Mauritanian soldiers.
On Monday, AQIM released a statement saying at least 20 Mauritanian soldiers were killed and 12 army vehicles destroyed in the raid.
AQIM once again accused Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of fighting "a proxy war on behalf of France", calling on Mauritanians to denounce this and learn from their losses "and save themselves from a war which is not theirs".
AQIM has bases in northern Mali from where it carries out armed attacks and kidnappings in the Sahel desert region where the group is also involved in arms and drugs trafficking.
Mali and Mauritania are among the countries hardest-hit by AQIM activities, along with Niger and Algeria, where the organisation has its roots. The nations work closely together in efforts to crack down on the organisation.
Since July 2010, Mauritania has carried out military operations on AQIM camps in Mali.
AQIM is holding four French citizens kidnapped in Niger in September 2010 as well as an Italian woman taken hostage in Algeria in February and has demanded that French President Nicolas Sarkozy withdraw his troops from Afghanistan as a condition for their release.
In January, two 25-year-old French citizens were killed in a failed rescue attempt and in July 2010 a 78-year-old French hostage kidnapped in Niger was killed by AQIM.
Mali has called for a regional push to train up to 75,000 troops within the next 18 months to combat extremists in the Sahel desert region.
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