05:03 ET<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\nThousands of Malians turned out to cheer on Libya’s football team in an African Cup of Nations qualifier in Mali’s capital.<\/p>\n
The match was held in Bamako because of security concerns in Libya.<\/p>\n
About 20,000 Malians turned out to watch the game, many carrying posters protesting against the Western-led military intervention in Libya.<\/p>\n
“We were very touched by the Malian crowd,” captain Tariq Ibrahim al-Tayib told the BBC after beating Comoros 3-0.<\/p>\n
Bamako-based journalist Martin Vogl says Mali’s government has a close relationship with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and he enjoys a lot of support in the country.<\/p>\n
After each goal at the game on Monday evening, the crowd shouted: “Gaddafi! Gaddafi,” he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Tayib said that several players had not been able to play because they were based in Benghazi, the main town held by forces fighting Col Gaddafi.<\/p>\n
But he said there were no political divisions in the national football side.<\/p>\n
“The whole team is for Muammar Gaddafi,” he told the Associated Press.<\/p>\n
On Friday, thousands of Libyans took to the streets of Bamako to show their support for Libya’s long-time leader – marching in protest to the French and US embassies against their involvement in the military campaign against Col Gaddafi.<\/p>\n
France, the US and UK started bombing pro-Gaddafi forces earlier this month after a UN Security Council resolution was passed backing action to protect civilians.<\/p>\n
Col Gaddafi had vowed to wipe out protesters who were demanding that he leave power after 42 years.<\/p>\n
The intervention stopped pro-Gaddafi forces from attacking Benghazi.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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