France, Mali troops attack Malian village

French and Malian troops have attacked a village in northern Mali as Germany comes a step closer to becoming directly involved in the colonial war.

Malian military sources say the operation has been underway in the village of Kadji, situated some 10 kilometers (six miles) south of Gao, since early Thursday afternoon.

Reports say local fighters took refuge in the village after an assault by French and Malian troops on Gao.

Meanwhile, the German parliament approved the deployment of up to 330 military personnel to Mali to back France in its war on the West African country.

France launched its war on Mali on January 11 under the pretext of halting the advance of fighters in the country. The war has left thousands of Malians homeless.

The French-led war in Mali has caused a serious humanitarian crisis in northern areas of the country and has displaced thousands of people, who now live in deplorable conditions.

On February 1, Amnesty International said “serious human rights breaches” — including the killing of children – were occurring in the French war in Mali.

The rights organization said there was “evidence that at least five civilians, including three children, were killed in an airstrike” carried out by French forces against the local fighters.

Some political analysts believe that Mali’s abandoned natural resources, including gold and uranium reserves, could be one of the reasons behind the French war.