Islamists Shell Area Around Airport in Mali's Second-Largest City

No casualties reported

Islamists fired shells on Wednesday towards airport in Gao, Mali's second-largest city, but did not cause any casualties, a source from the Malian army headquarters said.

"The Islamists fired shells towards the airport in Gao" where French and Malian soldiers are stationed, the source said.

There were no victims and the situation had been brought under control, the source added, as French army helicopters were dispatched to chase the militants.

The attack is just the latest to hit Mali's north in recent weeks in the aftermath of a French military intervention in January to oust armed groups linked to al-Qaida that had occupied the vast desert north for the previous nine months.