TIMBUKTU, Mali On the day the French came and the Islamists left, Hawi Traore folded up her veil and tied on a vibrantly colored wraparound dress. The next day, she wore heels. The day after, she got her hair braided and slipped on sparkly earrings. <\/p>\n
And finally, on Thursday, the 12-year-old girl turned the music on her cellphone back on and danced in the streets, celebrating freedom from the draconian rules imposed by al-Qaeda-linked militants on this desert capital for much of the past year. <\/p>\n
Four days since French commandos parachuted onto the sand north of Timbuktu and liberated the storied city from the Islamists, there is a growing sense of freedom particularly among women. <\/p>\n
Their jubilation <\/p>\n
Malian girl Azahara Abdu, who was allegedly sexually abused by Islamists, stands in her home in the newly liberated ancient city of Timbuktu. French-led forces have recaptured the city in their offensive against Islamist rebels.<\/p>\n
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Freedom returns to Timbuktu after months of radical Islamic rule<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" TIMBUKTU, Mali On the day the French came and the Islamists left, Hawi Traore folded up her veil and tied on a vibrantly colored wraparound dress. The next day, she wore heels. Continue reading