Mali junta says will not talk with 'terrorist' groups

Mali's government refuses to engage in dialogue with 'terrorist' armed groups, stated Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop. This announcement follows a coordinated offensive by Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists and Tuareg separatists that resulted in the death of the defense minister and a blockade of the capital Bamako. The junta, grappling with over a decade of violence, has seen several opposition figures and military personnel detained or abducted following the attacks.