Mali gov't still working on plan to recover occupied northern zones

Bamako, July 24 (Xinhua-ANI): The Malian government announced on Monday that it was still working on a plan to recover the occupied zones in the north of the country in order to re-establish state authority, facilitate the return of the displaced persons as well as refugees and secure the regions.

The information was issued through an official statement by Communication Minister Hamadoun Toure, who is also the government spokesman.

The government spokesman said that in order to recover the occupied zones, the government would mobilize all the necessary national and international support, and in this regard, he said the "responses were giving hope."

Toure said "the government understands the impatience and the legitimate frustrations of the population," and also hailed their "active involvement in this national fight which goes beyond region, religion and political affiliation."

The minister noted that the fight to recover the northern parts of Mali was a "patriotic duty for every sector of the country, including the defense and security forces with their partners."

Toure insisted that "no Malian will be at peace if a centimeter of the national territory is still under occupation," and concluded by affirming that "it was the government's duty to lead in the battle to recover the northern Mali regions and it would do this through political, diplomatic and military means."

It should also be recalled that the Alliance of Patriotic Resistance Forces (FPR) which brings together self-defense and political groups, was created last week-end in Bamako with the objective of "liberating northern Mali which is under occupation of islamist groups and their allies." (Xinhua-ANI)