Islamic jihadists took control of a large portion of Mali several years ago and established a Sharia state, but the French drove them out. They have, however, not given up.
Ansar Dine means Helpers of the Religion. Not that this has anything to do with Islam.
“10 soldiers killed in attack on Mali camp: military,” i24 News, August 3, 2015:
At least 10 soldiers were killed Monday in a “terrorist” attack on their camp in the Timbuktu region of northern Mali, the military.
“The provisional death toll is 10 dead on the army side,” said Souleymane Maiga, head of the army’s information office, without giving further details.
“This morning at Gourma-Rharous we pushed back a terrorist attack which caused 10 deaths in our ranks,” a military source added.
Another military source confirmed the ambush, saying it had targeted a unit of the National Guard based in Gourma-Rharous.
The second source said the attackers were believed to be “jihadi elements” linked to Islamist group Ansar Dine.
The attack comes two days after two Malian soldiers were killed and four others injured in an ambush in the center of the west African country….