World

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

French soldiers patrol in armored vehicles, in the outskirts of Sevare, Mali, some 620 kms (385 miles) north of Bamako, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A local official says that Islamic extremists based in the Malian town of Ansongo have destroyed a bridge near the Niger border, marking the first use of explosives by the insurgents since the start of the French-led military intervention exactly two weeks ago.

Djibril Diallo, village chief of Fafa, located 12 miles (20 kilometres) from the bridge, said on Friday that residents of his town had called him to confirm that the extremists bombed the bridge crossing into the town of Tassiga on Thursday night.

Diallo said the bridge exploded around 9 p.m. on Thursday. He said the Islamists left their barracks in Ansongo to destroy the bridge that led to the town of Tassiga, which is very close to Niger.