French and Malian troops pushed north toward Gao, recapturing the town of Hombori without a fight. Islamist forces destroyed a bridge at Tassiga, near the Niger border. An Islamist munitions cache at Diabaly contained rockets for a Grad launcher. The Islamic Movement of Azawad called for Malian and French authorities to “cease hostilities … in the north-eastern regions of Kidal and Menaka” and engage in “inclusive dialogue.”
