A court sentenced 14 Malians from Kidal and Gao to 20 years in prison for joining a terrorist group that targets Algeria, ostensibly al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The fighters had tried to enter Algeria in Illizi in January, and were arrested by authorities, who seized 74 Kalashnikovs, 41 FMs, 2 RPGs, 185 RPG missiles, and 123 anti-tank missiles. The suspects claimed they had obtained the weapons in Libya and were on their way to Mali as AZAWAD members to fight the French.
