Mali's President Amadou Toumani Toure on Monday warned of a tougher government line against Tuareg rebels following a raid on an army base in which at least 20 people were killed, press reports said.
'Enough is enough. We cannot continue to suffer, we cannot keep counting our dead ... We cannot keep searching for peace,' Toure said Sunday during a visit to the Kayes region.
'They are firing on anything that moves. They are firing on soldiers, they're firing on civilians, what does all this mean?' the president added in comments that analysts said could mean a harder line.
An attack by rebels on an army base at Nampala, 500 kilometres (300 miles) northeast of of the capital Bamako, left at least nine troops and 11 rebels dead, according to the defence ministry.
A source close to rebel chief Abrahim Ag Bahanga told AFP at least 20 soldiers were killed and and an international aid official said at least five civilians were also killed in the fighting.
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By: Brant
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