BAMAKO: The West African state of Mali has lifted a five-month-old state of emergency, the moves comes on the eve of the start of presidential election campaign for July 28 polls.
The state of emergency, which forbid public gatherings and imposed a curfew, was put in place on January 12 when France joined in a conflict that divided the country, and drove Islamists out from the northern part of Mali.
The measure is expected to signal a return to civil rule, with presidential elections scheduled for July 28
