Residents in Mali express anger over rule of Islamist militants

Crowds of looters attacked shops and buildings suspected of having links to Islamists in the Malian city of Timbuktu on Tuesday, British Broadcaster Sky News reported.

Malian soldiers could be seen trying to control the crowds but the feeling of anger was difficult for them to overcome.

Residents could be seen plundering content and smashing through doors of buildings with ties to the Al-Qaeda linked rebels.

Many of the Timbuktu locals were still reeling from the trauma they experienced under the Islamist regime.

Some complained of having suffered beatings from the Islamic police.

Azahara was publically flogged for talking to a man unrelated to her.

She winced as she recalled the pain, "I wanted to die. It was better to die than to live through this," she said.

Her brother was shot and killed by the militants days before the French troops arrived.

Others had their hands amputated in public for supporting the government of Mali, Sky News reported.

"I was tied to a chair and then hooded before the Islamic police cut my hand and showed it to the crowds," said one man.

"The Jihadis tortured me for three months before hacking my hand off in front of everyone," said another.

Just over two weeks after the French began their military intervention in Mali, French and Malian forces arrived in Timbuktu on Monday.

French helicopters aided the ground forces who came from the south as French paratroopers landed north of the city.

The French have said Mali's military must now finish the job of securing Timbuktu.

The Malians have generally fared poorly in combat, often retreating in panic in the face of well-armed, battle-hardened Islamists.