Mali defense minister killed in major rebel offensive

A major, coordinated offensive by an alliance of al Qaeda-linked militants and Tuareg separatist rebels has struck Mali on multiple fronts. The attacks, launched on Saturday, resulted in the death of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, targeted the airport in the capital Bamako, and drove Russian soldiers out of a desert town over a thousand kilometers away. The simultaneous strikes highlight the severe and expanding threat to the Malian state from the rebel coalition. Analysts warn the country is at risk of splintering under the pressure of these combined jihadi and separatist assaults.