BAMAKO (Reuters) - Islamist rebels drove the Malian army out of the strategic northern town of Konna on Thursday, local residents said, in the fiercest fighting since militant groups seized control of northern Mali nine months ago.
The fall of Konna, some 600 km (375 miles) northeast of the capital Bamako, was a major setback to government forces which had claimed earlier on Thursday to be making headway against the alliance of al Qaeda-linked rebels.
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