Mali is quickly turning very ugly: Separatists, Islamists seize Timbuktu

A “lightning 72-hour advance” by Tuareg separatists over the weekend gave them control over key towns including the ancient city of Timbuktu in the north of the country.

The rebels aided by Islamists ransacked bars, banned Western-style dress and music and called for the imposition of Sharia law.

The landlocked country’s neighbours on Monday shut their borders after a meeting in Senegal to discuss sanctions following a bloodless military coup in the capital Bamako. Bamako is more than a 1,000 kilometres south west of Timbuktu by road.

Reuters reports events in Mali is threatening the stability of the entire West Africa region:

The push by rebels, whose ranks were swelled by fighters returning from the Libyan conflict, has also deepened insecurity across the Sahara-Sahel band, already awash with Islamists, traffickers and bandits. France and Britain have advised their citizens to leave the country due to the insecurity.

Mali is no.3 in Africa for gold production after South Africa and Ghana.

Randgold, which relies on Mali for roughly two-thirds of its output said last week it is operating in the country as usual after its fuel supplies were restored.

However, top 10 global gold producer Gold Field’s said last week its drilling operations in Mali has been temporarily suspended.

Other miners active in the country include Iamgold, Avion Gold, Cluff Gold and AngloGold.

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