"With the civilians, it is not possible to go and conduct offensive operations in that area.

VOA: standard.2009.04.06

Offensive operations will still rely upon outside support for air power, intelligence and logistics.

BBC: Can France achieve its goals in Mali?

NATO, and the American-led coalition, whose job is mainly confined to offensive operations in the south and south-east.

ECONOMIST: Anxious times for the under-manned Western forces

Instead, they halted offensive operations in the region and made plans to bring in the Iraqi police, training with them extensively last week.

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