Mali helicopter down, Bamako airbase attacked

A Malian military helicopter has been shot down near Wabaria amid a major rebel offensive. Simultaneously, the Bamako airbase (101) was attacked and has been closed. The house of Mali's Defense Minister, Sadio Camara, was also reportedly partly destroyed. These developments coincide with confirmed rebel presence in Kati and reported progress by the Forces for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) in Kidal.