Islamists seize buildings in north Mali town

BAMAKO, Mali – A resident and a doctor in the north Mali city of Gao says that fighters belonging to an Islamist rebel group forced their way into buildings controlled by a secular rebel faction, seized control and raised their flag.

Resident Hamadada Toure said that a shooting between the two groups began on Wednesday morning and lasted until around 2 p.m. local time. When he emerged, he found that the Islamist MUJAO group had taken over all the buildings in Gao that previously had been occupied by the secular National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad, or NMLA.

He said that he also saw five bodies of NMLA soldiers near the building that served as the NMLA's headquarters.

Doctor Mohamed Diamoye said that three bodies had been brought to the local hospital, including one of a MUJAO fighter. The two others were civilians.