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• They will face their first test when the fighting season gets under way in the late spring and summer. During the harsh Afghan winter, snow often blocks roads and fighting dies down.
• The Afghan security forces, which have nearly reached their full strength of 352,000, still need much work to become an effective and self-sufficient fighting machine, but a vast improvement in their abilities was behind a decision to accelerate the timetable for putting them in the lead nationwide, Allen said.
• President Barack Obama announced earlier this month that the Afghans would take over this spring instead of late summer -- a decision that could allow the speedier withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.
• ___
French troops control key airport in last north Mali city held by Islamist rebels
• SEVARE, Mali (AP) -- French forces have taken control of the airport in Kidal, seizing a key position in one of three provincial capitals the Islamist militants took over last year, officials said Wednesday. One Malian official said French troops even moved into the city, which was the last remaining urban stronghold of the Islamists in Mali.
• French and Malian troops have recaptured two of the other provincial capitals, Timbuktu and Gao, in recent days, and been welcomed by overjoyed crowds. However, already concerns are emerging about whether the Islamists will try to return once France hands over the military operation to Mali and soldiers from neighboring countries.
• Haminy Maiga, the interim president of the Kidal regional assembly, said French forces met no resistance when they arrived late Tuesday.
• "The French arrived at 9:30 p.m. aboard four planes, which landed one after another. Afterwards they took the airport and then entered the town, and there was no combat," said Maiga, who had been in touch with people in the town by satellite phone as all the normal phone networks were down.
• "The French are patrolling the town and two helicopters are patrolling overhead," he added.
• ___
George Ryan to be latest Illinois governor through prison door -- this time headed out
• CHICAGO (AP) -- George Ryan on Wednesday will become the latest former Il (Continued on page 30)
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