Mali junta forces hunt down counter-coup soldiers

Gunfire has been heard in Mali's capital Bamako for a third day as junta patrols hunt down soldiers who had tried to stage an counter-coup.

Panicking residents fled the city centre - but there has been no fresh fighting, a junta spokesperson said.
The shots were fired into the air to break up a student protest, according to Bakary Mariko.
Fighting broke out on Monday after reports that leaders of the anti-junta presidential guard would be arrested.
'Footballers stranded'

South Sudan 'to withdraw troops' from Heglig oil field

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has ordered the withdrawal of his troops from the Heglig oil field in Sudan.

But Sudan's leader Omar al-Bashir later said his forces had retaken Heglig town.
South Sudanese forces captured the area last week, accusing Khartoum of using it as a base to launch attacks.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon had described the occupation as illegal and also called on Sudan to stop bombing the South.
Mr Bashir on Friday told supporters at a victory rally in Khartoum: "We thank God that he made successful your sons; and the security forces and the police force and the defence forces - he has made them victorious on this Friday."
On state TV, his defence minister said Sudan's armed forces had entered Heglig 11:20 GMT.
South Sudan has so far made no public comments on Khartoum's claim.
The escalating fighting and rhetoric between the two sides over the past week has led to fears of all-out war.

South Sudan seceded last July following a 2005 peace deal that ended a two-decade civil war in which more than 1.5 million people died.

On Thursday, South Sudan issued a statement saying it was not interested in war with its northern neighbour and that it would only withdraw from Heglig if the UN deployed monitors there.
President Bashir had earlier threatened to bring down the government in Juba following the loss of Heglig, which provided more than half of Sudan's oil.
'LRA intelligence' South Sudan ordered its withdrawal to create the environment for talks with Khartoum, Reuters news agency reports.
"An orderly withdrawal will commence immediately and shall be completed within three days," AFP news agency quotes a presidential statement as saying.
Mr Kiir said the South still believed that Heglig was a part of South Sudan and that its final status should be determined by international arbitration, Associated Press reported.
Heglig is internationally accepted to be part of Sudanese territory - although the precise border is yet to be demarcated.
The UK minister for Africa welcomed the news of the withdrawal and urged restraint on both sides.
"Sudan must also immediately cease all military action across the border, in particular bringing an end to aerial bombings of South Sudan's territory," Henry Bellingham said in a statement.
There have been intense diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider conflict - the latest involving the visit of US special envoy Princeton Lyman to Khartoum on Thursday.
The regional body Igad, which mediated the 2005 peace deal, expressed "grave concern about the escalating conflict" and said it would "extend all possible assistance to maintain peace and stability".
Uganda, a close ally of South Sudan, also indicated it might become involved if the fighting became a full-scale war.
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Don’t copy Malian coupists, Fashola urges soldiers

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has urged Nigerian military officers not to toe the line of their Malian counterparts by seizing power through the guns, saying, “strong military discipline is very important in the sustenance of the country’s democracy.”

Fashola  gave the advice during a courtesy visit by officers from National Defence University, Pakistan, to his office in Lagos.

He said: “There is need for us to rally round this system of governance (democracy) to ensure that those ideals that recognises the sovereign power of the people as the collegiate for consensus- building and decision- making on how our lives are ordered must receive attention of all the institutions including the military personnel.

“It is not just enough to say that the responsibility of protecting our democracy belong only to the legislative, political office holders, judiciary and the press, but also rest on the shoulders of the military personnel in the country.

“This is because they have to safeguard the territorial boundary that they represent in order for the government to take foothold in the administration of the country.  Whether it is in Europe, Middle-East, Asia or Africa, there is a threat to peaceful existence of the human civilisation as we know it.

The underlying thing is that nothing is more important than the human civilisation on this planet. Government and institutions whether military or civilian exist only for the purpose of working together to promote the best for human beings,” he added.

'Gunfire heard' in Guinea-Bissau capital

Soldiers have taken over parts of the capital of the West African state of Guinea-Bissau, reports say.

Heavy gunfire has been heard and soldiers are in control of main roads in the city, Bissau, according to eyewitnesses.

There are also reports of fighting near the residence of outgoing Prime Minister Carlos Gomes.

Mr Gomes came first in an inconclusive presidential election last month, but failed to win outright.

Troops are also reported to have taken control of the national radio station and the ruling party's headquarters.

The whereabouts of Mr Gomes and the interim President, Raimundo Pereira, are currently unknown, reports say.

The second-placed candidate in the March election, former President Kumba Yala, has said he will boycott the run-off vote scheduled for 29 April.

Mr Yala alleged that the election had been fraudulent.

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Two US soldiers dead in Morocco crash

Two United States marines have been killed when their helicopter crashed southwest of Agadir in Morocco.

Another two soldiers were injured in the accident, which happened during joint military exercises with Moroccan forces on Wednesday.

The helicopter, reportedly a MV-22 Osprey, apparently crashed after taking off from the USS Iwo Jima warship.

The crash is now being investigated as a "helicopter incident", a US embassy official told the Reuters news agency.

It happened in a military training area during the annual "African Lion" joint military exercises at Cap Draa.

Around 1,200 US marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen have been in Morocco since the start of April.

The two wounded soldiers have been taken to a military medical facility in Guelmim, 730km (450 miles) south of the capital Rabat.

Further information is being withheld until the next of kin have been notified.