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Events are happening quickly at the oil field where Islamist militants have been holding a large group of hostages, apparently including some Americans. The kidnappers are retaliating for French military action against militants in neighboring Mali.
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Islamist militants attacked and seized a gas field in Algeria on Wednesday and said they were holding dozens of foreign workers hostage, including seven Americans. The militants said the attack is retaliation for France's military intervention in Mali.
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After five days of airstrikes aimed at Islamist militants, French troops are engaged in their first ground operation in Mali, according to several news outlets. The rebels, who had vowed to retaliate, may have done so by grabbing hostages at an oil field in neighboring Algeria.
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As France wages war on the Islamists in Africa, French authorities are girding for possible terror attacks back home. But the French show no sign of wavering in their support for the Mali operation.
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Looking to rout Islamist militants who might try to make Mali a base for terrorist operations elsewhere, French forces have been mounting air and ground attacks. The militants pushed back on Monday and said they would take the fight to French soil.
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"Stopping the terrorists, that's done," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in an interview Sunday. He also said the three-day-old intervention in Mali was getting support from the U.S. and other countries.
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It's not clear whether a French intelligence agent is dead or alive after a botched rescue attempt in Somalia on Saturday morning. The operation may have dangerous implications for other French hostages being held across Africa.
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The U.S. military plans to send an Army brigade to Africa next year. Some 4,000 soldiers would deploy — in small units and at different times — to help train and advise African troops. It's part of an Obama administration plan to address the growing challenge posed by terrorism in Africa.
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The coup in Mali earlier this year and occupation of the north by al-Qaida affiliates have devastated the economy, especially the tourism sector, the country's third-largest revenue generator. Tourist arrivals have plummeted, and all Malians, from river guides to tailors, are suffering.
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The West African nation of Mali is a hotbed of blazing electric guitar players. In recent years, two of the best — Zani Diabate and Lobi Traore — died suddenly while in the prime of their creative lives. Both have posthumous releases out this year worth tracking down.