Mali's army has reportedly abandoned its military bases around the key northern garrison town of Gao after a fierce assault by heavily-armed rebels.The defeat was the latest for the army after a lightning 48-hour advance by northern rebels seeking to capitalise on chaos in the West African country after last week's coup.
Junta leader Captain Amadou Sanogo read a statement on state television, saying: "Given the proximity of the camps to residential areas, our forces decided not to fight."
One civilian source told Reuters news agency that rebels had already occupied both main bases around the town while another source said just one of the two camps was now under rebel control. No fighting was visible in Gao itself.
"The army has hit the road to Bamako," said the civilian source of the road towards the capital around 600 miles further south. Read More
