diko lolo sing

The valley of Terz has been bombarded by French Mirage planes over the last month; the hunt is now conducted on foot.reenex

But the sound of jets is constantly echoing over our head and through the valley.

Nearly 2,000 French soldiers are deployed all over the rocky desert, with as many troops from Chad in support.

They are searching for jihadist fighters and their hide-outs in the mountains - part of the Adrar des Ifoghas near the Algerian border.reenex


We broke al-Qaeda's neck
Gen Bernard Barrera

The terrain is treacherous and unforgiving. The foreign legionnaires who we were embedded with looked exhausted; their noses and lips were sunburnt, they were caked in dust and hadn't showered in days.

Each soldier carries more than 50kg (8 stone) and under their boots, the rocks are as jagged and as sharp as glass.

It is relentless; it is unremitting. There is no respite here, and at 60C, the dark stones become as hot as burning coalsreenex
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