PARIS: French forces are embroiled in a “true war” with “terrorists” around the Malian town of Gao, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said.Islamist militants were swept from Gao last month, but Mr Le Drian said clashes were continuing in the area.France has indicated it wants to begin withdrawing its 4,000 troops from Mali in March. French forces were deployed to combat al-Qaeda-linked militants who had taken over Mali’s desert northern regions.The militants were routed and cleared from most of the population centres.But clashes are continuing away from the towns.“When you leave the centre of captured cities, you meet jihadis left behind,” Mr Le Drian told France’s Europe 1 Radio.He had earlier said that hundreds of militants had been killed in the month-long operation. Agencies
