Islamists in northern Mali smash TVs

BAMAKO, Mali – A resident in the northern Malian city of Gao says Islamists smashed TV sets that were being used to play video games or watch programs considered un-Islamic, in a further attempt to impose Shariah law there.

The resident who asked for anonymity because he feared reprisal said that residents took to the street in protest after the incident Sunday. The witness said the Islamist fighters fired shots in the air to disperse the crowd.

As the resident spoke by telephone Monday, sporadic shots could be heard in the background.

Islamist fighters have taken up a dominant position in northern Mali since they forced out Malian government troops in March. Since then, they have been gradually imposing a strict form of Shariah law.