| Tuareg rebels fleeing Malian troops entered Algerian territory on Thursday (February 5th), AFP reported. The information was reportedly confirmed by an Algerian member of the committee charged with monitoring the 2006 Algiers peace agreement. Mali blames Tuareg rebel leader Ibrahim Ag Bahang for refusing to participate in recent mediation efforts led by Algerian Ambassador Abdelkrim Gheraib. However, following the Malian army's refusal to stop the offensive, Ag Bahanga "officially" called Tuesday for renewed Algerian intervention. |