It dismisses the rebels as bandits and traffickers who have moved drugs, untaxed cigarettes, gasoline and even human cargo across the Sahara for decades.

• 政府斥反抗军是盗匪和走私者，数十年来走私毒品、未课税的香菸和石油甚至奴工，载到撒哈拉沙漠另一端。