Zeenews Bureau
Bamako: A remote part of Northern Mali witnessed intense battle on Friday between Chadian soldiers and Islamist insurgents.
As a part of the operation 13 Chadian soldiers and 65 insurgents lost their lives as per a BBC report.
It was in the mountains of Ifoghas that the militants had their abode and were attacked by the Chadian army.
Northern region of Mali was earlier cleared of Islamist opposition with the help of French troops.
The rebel retreated to the mountains after being driven away from populated areas in the north.
US President Barack Obama on Friday said that about 100 American troops have been deployed to the African nation of Niger, setting up a base for unarmed drones to conduct surveillance.
The move marks a deepening of US efforts to stem the spread of al-Qaida and its affiliates in the volatile region. It also underscores Obama`s desire to fight extremism without involving large numbers of US ground forces.
A number of al Qaeda linked Islamic extremist groups operate in Mali and elsewhere in the Sahara, including a group known as al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, which originated in Algeria and is active in northern Mali.
With Agency Inputs
