The al-Qaeda militants who took over northern Mali imposed their harsh brand of Sharia law. The common wisdom is that the militants’ behavior alienated most Malians. But that’s not the whole story, as the CBC’s Laura Lynch reports.
A French-led convoy carrying food and military supplies arrived in the northern Malian town of Gao. Reporter Laura Lynch was with them. She’s covering the story for The World and the CBC.
Refugees from Mali’s North, Delighted by Military Success, Unsure About Future
As the militants melt away from cities and towns in northern Mali, there have been scenes of jubilation. People who have experienced life under the rule of Islamist fighters say it has been a harsh, violent existence.
Sunni Muslim extremists recently seized control of Timbuktu and the rest of northern Mali earlier this year. Now they’re destroying the religious relics, calling them idolatrous.
Glimpses into Life in Northern Mali Under Islamist Control
Few journalists are allowed into northern Mali, which is now under the control of fundamentalist Islamic groups. But reporter Paul Mben, a Malian himself, did manage to get in, and tells of what he saw there.
