Latest News:  

English>>World

Algeria says opening airspace to French jet fighters sovereign decision

(Xinhua)

14:22, January 15, 2013

ALGIERS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Algeria said Monday that opening its airspace to French military jet fighters to reach Mali and target extremist militants there is a sovereign decision.

"The decision related to opening the national airspace has always been sovereign decision of Algeria," according to the local TSA news website, which quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Amar Belani.

Belani said Algeria examined the French overflying request "in accordance with the procedure in force."

On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Algeria had opened its airspace for French jet planes as part of the military operation underway against extremist armed groups in northern Mali.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said Friday that the intervention of his country in Mali was at the request of interim President of Mali Dioncounda Traore.

Hollande said that taking action in Mali aims at protecting some 6,000 French nationals there, noting that seven nationals had been abducted.

Rebels including MUJAO, AQIM, Ansar Dine and the MNLA occupied Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal in the aftermath of a military coup on March 22 of last year.

Late last year, the UN Security Council agreed to authorize an African-led international military intervention to support Mali in its fight against terrorists, and approved an intervention plan submitted by the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore Mali's territorial integrity and constitutional rule.

We recommend:

Nudists rally for right to bare it all

Unforgettable moments you cannot miss in December

Bloody scenery of shark hunting

Sao Paulo faces hot weather in January

Finland celebrates Epiphany with slide show

Children taking cold-resistant exercise

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:张茜、姚春)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. Carrier-based aircraft unit in flight training

  2. J-10 fighters over E. China Sea

  3. Countries with the cleanest air

  4. Chengdu braces for holiday travel rush

  5. The strongest left-behind children

  6. Heavy fog envelops Chinese cities

  7. North American auto show kicks off in Detroit

  8. Food and flower festivals

  9. Have fun picking strawberries in Jinshan

  10. Cartoon image of China's provinces

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Will there be another Liu Xiang in China?
  2. Heavy smog reveals generation gap
  3. A very rash act by the US
  4. Message of caution for Japan
  5. Adding mortar to the BRICS
  6. Children without parents still lack help, protection
  7. Philippines moves in wrong direction
  8. Drinking water safety is not a simple problem
  9. Japan's envisaged 'warning shots' dangerous
  10. When Chinese wives meet American mothers-in-law

What’s happening in China

Extinction of river dolphin: What does it mean for the Yangtze River?

  1. Beijing starts publishing tap water quality
  2. Such 'evasion' is a shame of education
  3. Snow eases air pollution in Beijing, more or less
  4. Bureau tried to 'borrow' orphans from temple
  5. Shoppers snap up air purifiers to beat the smog