French president says to win battle in Mali

 　　PARIS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande said on Monday France and its African partners are winning the battle against Islamist rebels in northern Mali.

　　"We are in process of winning this battle. As I say, it is the Malian army, it is the Africans that are supported by the French," Holland told a press conference at the Elysee Palace.

　　Hollande's remarks came as media reports said French-Malian forces on Monday took control of Timbuku town in the northern region of Mali which was occupied by Islamist rebels since last April.

　　The French president reiterated¹ that France has no intention to stay in Mali and will take a step back "to the starting points."He stressed that it is now up to Africans to permit the West African country "restore its territorial² integrity.""They are the ones who will go to the northern part, which we know is the most difficult because that's the place where terrorists are hiding," the president added.

　　According to the French defence ministry³, the retake of the Timbuktu city in northern Mali is "initiated⁴" by French-Malian armies.

　　Spokesman of the General Staff of the armed forces, Colonel Thierry Burkhard, also confirmed the retake of the city of Gao, where "units of Mali, Niger and Chad who control the city" are stationed.

　　The French army launched the "Operation Serval" in Mali on Jan. 11 to prevent the progression of jihadist groups, who have controlled the North since last year, from moving to the south of the West African country. So far France has deployed⁵ 2,900 troops in the Malian operation.

1 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

2 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。