BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali’s neighbors could soon lift economic and diplomatic sanctions imposed on the West African country with the aim of forcing last month’s coup leaders to quit power, a regional mediator said after talks with the junta leader on Thursday.

The 15-member West African bloc ECOWAS this week shut the borders of the landlocked country and denied it access to funds from the regional central bank, moves that could start to strangle the economy of Africa’s third-ranked gold producer in days.

BAMAKO (Reuters) – Tuareg-led separatist rebels announced the end of their fight to create an “Azawad” state on the edge of the Sahara on Thursday after sweeping across northern Mali during a political crisis after a coup.

The ceasefire came ahead of a meeting of army chiefs from West Africa’s ECOWAS bloc, which will try and hammer out a plan for military intervention in Mali, which experts fear has become a security vacuum for al Qaeda cells and smugglers to exploit.

BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali’s MNLA separatist rebels announced they had ended their fight to create an “Azawad” state on the edge of the Sahara on Thursday after achieving their goal amid a political crisis that has paralyzed southern capital.

The ceasefire was announced ahead of a meeting of army chiefs from West Africa’s ECOWAS bloc in Ivory Coast, where they will try and hammer out a plan for military intervention in Mali, which experts fear has become a security vacuum for al Qaeda cells and smugglers to exploit.

PARIS/BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali’s military rulers on Wednesday postponed a national convention to end a crisis sparked by a coup, which has led to international isolation and allowed rebels to seize control of the northern half of the country.

Colonel Moussa Coulibaly, an adviser to the head of the junta, said the talks, which political parties and civil society groups had earlier said they would boycott, were postponed to provide more time for preparations.

PARIS/BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali’s political parties on Wednesday rejected the army’s plan to hold a national convention to end a crisis sparked by a coup, which has led to international isolation and let rebels seize control of the northern half of the country.

France and the United Nations warned that the seizure of northern Mali by rebels was playing into the hands of local al Qaeda units, and former colonial power France urged Algeria and other neighbors to do more to tackle the threat.

PARIS/BAMAKO (Reuters) – France warned on Wednesday the seizure of northern Mali by a Tuareg-led rebellion was playing into the hands of local al Qaeda units, urging neighbors including Algeria to do more to tackle the threat.

For long one of the most stable democracies in West Africa, Mali has plunged into turmoil since a widely condemned March 22 coup that emboldened Tuareg rebels in their quest for a northern homeland.

April 4 (Reuters) – When turban-swathed Tuareg rebels swept
into Timbuktu on Sunday to plant the flag of their northern Mali
homeland, they found very few tourists in the bars, hotels,
museums, mosques and libraries of the fabled and ancient Saharan
trading town.

Local guides say numbers of foreign visitors had already
fallen off after a Dutchman, a South African and a Swede were
seized by gunmen in the historic Malian city in November. A
German citizen was killed in the abduction claimed by al Qaeda.

BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali’s junta ignored a demand by neighbors for an immediate exit from power on Tuesday, instead simply repeating its offer to hold open-ended talks on a future transition to civilian rule.

Malians rushed to stock up on petrol and cash after the 15-state ECOWAS West African bloc launched trade and diplomatic sanctions aimed at forcing the leaders of last month’s coup to stand down.

BAMAKO (Reuters) – Malians rushed to stock up on petrol and cash on Tuesday after neighbors went ahead with trade and diplomatic sanctions aimed at forcing the military junta to hand over power.

For long one of the most stable democracies in West Africa, Mali has plunged into turmoil since a widely condemned March 22 coup that emboldened Tuareg rebels to seize half the country in their quest for a northern homeland.

BAMAKO (Reuters) – Malians queued to stock up on petrol at garages around the capital Bamako on Tuesday after neighbors launched trade and diplomatic sanctions aimed at forcing the military junta to hand over power.

For long one of the most stable democracies in West Africa, Mali has plunged into turmoil since a widely condemned March 22 coup that emboldened Tuareg rebels to seize half the country in their quest for a northern homeland.