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| On the Ground in Mali, French and Local Troops Confront Islamist Forces | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| BAMAKO, Mali — French soldiers are battling Islamist militants in direct clashes on the ground in central Mali, Malian and Western officials said on Wednesday, acknowledging for the first time that France’s campaign against the militants who have seized much of the nation has involved more than just airstrikes. | BAMAKO, Mali — French soldiers are battling Islamist militants in direct clashes on the ground in central Mali, Malian and Western officials said on Wednesday, acknowledging for the first time that France’s campaign against the militants who have seized much of the nation has involved more than just airstrikes. |
| France had said that its ground forces had stayed out of the fighting so far, limiting its intervention in Mali to aerial assaults at the front lines and bombing runs on extremist strongholds deeper into the Islamist-held north. | France had said that its ground forces had stayed out of the fighting so far, limiting its intervention in Mali to aerial assaults at the front lines and bombing runs on extremist strongholds deeper into the Islamist-held north. |
| But diplomats at the United Nations Security Council said on Wednesday that 30 to 40 French special forces troops landed in central Mali last Thursday and joined Malian soldiers in ground combat against the militants almost immediately. | But diplomats at the United Nations Security Council said on Wednesday that 30 to 40 French special forces troops landed in central Mali last Thursday and joined Malian soldiers in ground combat against the militants almost immediately. |
| The French troops had been sent in as spotters to help French bombers find their targets, the diplomats said, but after the Malian forces alongside them faced an intense militant onslaught, the French troops suddenly found themselves engaged in skirmishes last Friday. | The French troops had been sent in as spotters to help French bombers find their targets, the diplomats said, but after the Malian forces alongside them faced an intense militant onslaught, the French troops suddenly found themselves engaged in skirmishes last Friday. |
| “Our enemies were well armed, well equipped, well trained and determined,” said a senior French diplomat. | “Our enemies were well armed, well equipped, well trained and determined,” said a senior French diplomat. |
| Beyond that, a Malian colonel said that his army’s ground troops had joined French forces on Wednesday and ringed the village of Diabaly, which Islamist fighters had seized the day before. Now, he said, they were trying to extricate the militants, who had taken over homes and ensconced themselves, managing to stay put despite hours of airstrikes by French warplanes the night before. | Beyond that, a Malian colonel said that his army’s ground troops had joined French forces on Wednesday and ringed the village of Diabaly, which Islamist fighters had seized the day before. Now, he said, they were trying to extricate the militants, who had taken over homes and ensconced themselves, managing to stay put despite hours of airstrikes by French warplanes the night before. |
| “It’s a very specialized kind of war,” the colonel said about the effort to dislodge the militants. “The town is surrounded.” | “It’s a very specialized kind of war,” the colonel said about the effort to dislodge the militants. “The town is surrounded.” |
| The fighting took place for much of the day, another top-ranking Malian officer said, confirming that French ground forces had engaged in combat alongside Malian soldiers against the jihadists entrenched in Diabaly. | The fighting took place for much of the day, another top-ranking Malian officer said, confirming that French ground forces had engaged in combat alongside Malian soldiers against the jihadists entrenched in Diabaly. |
| The Islamists overran Diabaly and a nearby Malian Army outpost on Monday despite heavy air bombardment by French planes and helicopter gunships, embarrassing the French, who had said they had blunted the Islamist advance into southern Mali. | The Islamists overran Diabaly and a nearby Malian Army outpost on Monday despite heavy air bombardment by French planes and helicopter gunships, embarrassing the French, who had said they had blunted the Islamist advance into southern Mali. |
| Since then, French officials have acknowledged that bombing alone would not be enough to drive out the Islamist fighters who have advanced ever further into Mali, but they have typically been reluctant to say when exactly ground operations would begin. | Since then, French officials have acknowledged that bombing alone would not be enough to drive out the Islamist fighters who have advanced ever further into Mali, but they have typically been reluctant to say when exactly ground operations would begin. |
| President François Hollande of France has been blunt about his overall intentions, however. “What do we plan to do with the terrorists?” he said on Tuesday. “Destroy them. Capture them, if possible, and make sure that they can do no harm in the future.” | President François Hollande of France has been blunt about his overall intentions, however. “What do we plan to do with the terrorists?” he said on Tuesday. “Destroy them. Capture them, if possible, and make sure that they can do no harm in the future.” |
| France is moving quickly toward a deeper engagement in Mali, trying to stabilize the south while hitting hard with air power at Islamist bases and concentrations in the north. France is building up its troops in Mali to 2,500 from 800 now, and officials made it clear that those troops would take the fight to the rebels along with Malian forces. | France is moving quickly toward a deeper engagement in Mali, trying to stabilize the south while hitting hard with air power at Islamist bases and concentrations in the north. France is building up its troops in Mali to 2,500 from 800 now, and officials made it clear that those troops would take the fight to the rebels along with Malian forces. |
| Other African nations have pledged troops, the Security Council diplomats said, including Togo, Nigeria, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin and Chad. The question is whether they are operational. | Other African nations have pledged troops, the Security Council diplomats said, including Togo, Nigeria, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin and Chad. The question is whether they are operational. |
| Adam Nossiter reported from Bamako, and Neil MacFarquhar from the United Nations; Reporting was contributed by Steven Erlanger from Paris, Julia Werdigier from London, and Elisabeth Bumiller from Madrid. | Adam Nossiter reported from Bamako, and Neil MacFarquhar from the United Nations; Reporting was contributed by Steven Erlanger from Paris, Julia Werdigier from London, and Elisabeth Bumiller from Madrid. |
| Adam Nossiter reported from Bamako, and Neil MacFarquhar from the United Nations. Steven Erlanger contributed reporting from Paris, Julia Werdigier from London, and Elisabeth Bumiller from Madrid. | Adam Nossiter reported from Bamako, and Neil MacFarquhar from the United Nations. Steven Erlanger contributed reporting from Paris, Julia Werdigier from London, and Elisabeth Bumiller from Madrid. |