Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
A soldier reloads his weapon during street battles between the rebels and French and Malian forces in Gao. The streets of Mali's biggest northern town were paralysed by fighting after members of MUJAO took over the mayor's office and city hall.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
Members of the Malian army and press take cover as fire comes towards them from the rebels in Gao. The two forces traded fire for roughly 5 hours in the downtown Gao area last Thursday.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
A Malian soldier fires at the rebels in Gao. Reports suggest that the rebels recruiting child soldiers at religious schools to bolster their numbers, and Gao's Mayor Sadou Diallo has put the number of recruited students between 200 to 300.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
A soldier prepares his rocket launcher during street battles between rebels and French and Malian forces in Gao. France has announced its intentions recalls its troops from Mali in March.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
A rebel's body is picked up to be disposed by Malian military after militant rebels and Malian and French forces fought street battles last Wednesday, in Gao. 13 Chadian soldiers died in clashes in the Adrar Des Ifoghas mountains in northern Mali.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
Gao's market lies in ruins after the fighting. The stalls of many local merchants were destroyed, undermining their livelihoods. The town has also suffered from two suicide bombings during the last month.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
The guardian of the Hotel Atlantide de Gao surveys the damage done to the hotel after the street battles. The attacks in Gao speak to the combat experience of the rebel fighters, foreshadowing the long road ahead to restoring government control to northern Mali.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
Malian soldiers pack away munition, weapons and paraphernalia seized by Malian and French forces from radical rebels at the French army base in Gao. French and Chadian forces clashed with rebels in the Adrar Des Ifoghas mountains in northern Mali on 22 February 2013, where at least 65 rebels and 13 Chadian soldiers were killed in their ongoing effort to regain control of northern Mali.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
A Malian Tuareg soldier points to munition, weapons and paraphernalia seized by Malian and French forces from rebels at the French army base in Gao. The French have been cooperating with the pro-autonomy Tuaregs to fight off rebels seeking to make Mali into an Islamic state.
Tanya Bindra /Al Jazeera
Munition, weapons and paraphernalia seized by Malian and French forces from the rebels are displayed at the French army base in Gao.
Tanya Bindra/Al Jazeera
A Malian soldier takes cover during street battles between rebel fighters and French and Malian forces in Gao.
Tanya Bindra/Al Jazeera
Malian soldiers advance amid a cloud of smoke during street battles between rebels and French and Malian forces in Gao.
Tanya Bindra/Al Jazeera
Malian soldiers advance amid a cloud of smoke during street battles between rebels and French and Malian forces in Gao.