US imposes sanctions on extremist group in Mali

March 21, 2013 @ 7:42 am

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration has imposed sanctions on the Islamist extremist group that seized much of northern Mali last year and prompted a French military intervention.

The State Department's declaration of Ansar Dine as a foreign terrorist organization blocks any assets it has in the U.S. and bans Americans from doing business with it.

Washington issued similar measures against the group's leader, Iyad Ag Ghali, last month.

Aided by al-Qaida's North Africa wing, Ansar Dine took control of much of northern Mali after a tribal rebellion. In Timbuktu, it imposed strict Sharia law and forced thousands to flee; others were tortured and executed.

A French-led intervention in January turned the tide, pushing the rebels back to mountainous hideouts near the Algeria border.

The U.N. also set global sanctions against Ansar Dine.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (3)


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  • CH wrote...
    how about 50 mil
    February 11, 2013 1:02 pm
    to SS?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    Starting to get it CH?
    February 11, 2013 1:09 pm
    Obama doesn't care about you or anybody else in the American Public. We are all just peasants and "worthless eaters" to him and his ilk. They only care about pleasing their Masters the Banks and Corporations. Why is Obama approving ANY money? Congress is supposed to have control over the purse in this country.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    He'll never "get it".
    February 11, 2013 3:32 pm
    No brain cells left.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }