Amadou Toumani Toure News

A girl walks by a building pockmarked with bullet holes from fighting in Gao, on March 13 2013.

Senegal President Macky Sall urged the countries of Africa's desert north on Friday to remain vigilant against the threat of Islamism which he said remained despite the French military intervention in Mali.

TIMBUKTU, Mali &#8212 Shortly after a coup was staged last spring that resulted in extremist groups seizing control of much of northern Mali, presidential candidate and BYU graduate Yeah Samake went to confront the coup leaders at their offices, risking death.

A court in Mali threw out a case against a newspaper editor who was arrested after publishing an article criticizing the leader of last year's military coup.

With elections looming instances of party propaganda being used in public has begun, often through a visible military presence in urban and rural residential areas.