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1900 GMT: Mali. French and Malian troops fought running gun battles with Islamist insurgents in northern town of Gao today.
The French-Malian force took the town earlier this month, as insurgents --- who had moved in last April --- withdrew.
Gunfire broke out in the area of the central market and police station, hours after French and Malian forces reinforced a checkpoint that had been attacked for the second time in two days by a suicide bomber.
French helicopter gunships flew overhead.
"Islamists who have infiltrated the town are trying to attack our positions, but we're fighting back," a Malian army officer said. Another Malian soldier said one group of rebel infiltrators had come in on motorbikes.