Malian Forces Headed to Northern Town of Kidal

Town still held by Tuareg separatists

(Reuters)—Malian troops headed for the remote northeastern town of Kidal on Sunday ahead of a mid-May deadline set by the government to wrest it from the control of Tuareg separatist rebels.

French forces which swept Islamist insurgents from the far north of Mali have allowed the MNLA rebels to run Kidal in recent months but Mali's government wants to reimpose its authority ahead of July presidential and legislative elections.