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| First Nigerian troops to join anti-rebel operation in Mali | First Nigerian troops to join anti-rebel operation in Mali |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Close to 200 Nigerian troops are due to arrive in Mali to help fight Islamist insurgents in the country's north. | Close to 200 Nigerian troops are due to arrive in Mali to help fight Islamist insurgents in the country's north. |
| It is the first West African contingent to join France's anti-rebel operation launched in Mali on Friday. | It is the first West African contingent to join France's anti-rebel operation launched in Mali on Friday. |
| In total, 3,300 regional troops will be deployed in the conflict under a UN Security Council resolution. Chad has confirmed it will send 2,000 troops. | In total, 3,300 regional troops will be deployed in the conflict under a UN Security Council resolution. Chad has confirmed it will send 2,000 troops. |
| Meanwhile French and Malian forces have started the first major ground operation against the militants. | Meanwhile French and Malian forces have started the first major ground operation against the militants. |
| Sources say street battles broke out between soldiers and rebels in the town of Diabaly, 350km (220 miles) north of the capital Bamako on Wednesday. | Sources say street battles broke out between soldiers and rebels in the town of Diabaly, 350km (220 miles) north of the capital Bamako on Wednesday. |
| Islamists entered Diabaly on Monday, taking the town from Malian forces. French fighter jets have since attacked the rebel position. | Islamists entered Diabaly on Monday, taking the town from Malian forces. French fighter jets have since attacked the rebel position. |
| Limited support | Limited support |
| A company of 190 Nigerian soldiers will be flown from the northern city of Kaduna into Mali on Thursday, the BBC's Will Ross in Kaduna reports. | A company of 190 Nigerian soldiers will be flown from the northern city of Kaduna into Mali on Thursday, the BBC's Will Ross in Kaduna reports. |
| Nigeria will lead the West African regional force. It has promised to send a total of 900 troops as well as fighter jets. | Nigeria will lead the West African regional force. It has promised to send a total of 900 troops as well as fighter jets. |
| Chad has also confirmed 2,000 soldiers will join the anti-rebel operation in Mali. | Chad has also confirmed 2,000 soldiers will join the anti-rebel operation in Mali. |
| "We intend to send an infantry regiment and two support battalions," Chadian Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat told Radio France Internationale. | "We intend to send an infantry regiment and two support battalions," Chadian Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat told Radio France Internationale. |
| Benin, Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Togo have also pledged to take part. | Benin, Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Togo have also pledged to take part. |
| France intervened in Mali last Friday to try to halt the Islamists' push southwards towards the capital. | France intervened in Mali last Friday to try to halt the Islamists' push southwards towards the capital. |
| It has some 800 troops on the ground in Mali and defence sources said their numbers were expected to increase to 2,500. | It has some 800 troops on the ground in Mali and defence sources said their numbers were expected to increase to 2,500. |
| However, France has been pushing hard for the deployment of a West African regional force. | However, France has been pushing hard for the deployment of a West African regional force. |
| The arrival of the first Nigerian troops should bring some relief to French soldiers who are only getting limited support from the fairly weak Malian army, our correspondent says. | |
| It is not yet known exactly what role the West African troops will play or how well prepared they are for what is likely to be a very challenging ground assault against the Islamist militants, he adds. | It is not yet known exactly what role the West African troops will play or how well prepared they are for what is likely to be a very challenging ground assault against the Islamist militants, he adds. |
| The UK has provided transport planes, and on Wednesday Germany gave two transport planes as logistical support. | The UK has provided transport planes, and on Wednesday Germany gave two transport planes as logistical support. |
| 'We will not fire' | 'We will not fire' |
| Meanwhile a convoy of 50 French armoured vehicles left Bamako on Wednesday. | Meanwhile a convoy of 50 French armoured vehicles left Bamako on Wednesday. |
| "Until now, we had made sure there were a few ground forces in Bamako to keep our people safe. Now French ground forces are heading up north," French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. | "Until now, we had made sure there were a few ground forces in Bamako to keep our people safe. Now French ground forces are heading up north," French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. |
| He admitted that Malian forces around Diabaly have been struggling to combat the well-armed rebels. | He admitted that Malian forces around Diabaly have been struggling to combat the well-armed rebels. |
| He added the central town of Konna had not been recaptured by government forces as had earlier been reported. | He added the central town of Konna had not been recaptured by government forces as had earlier been reported. |
| A Malian security source told AFP news agency that French special forces and Malian soldiers were fighting "hand-to-hand" with Islamists in Diabaly. | A Malian security source told AFP news agency that French special forces and Malian soldiers were fighting "hand-to-hand" with Islamists in Diabaly. |
| Adm Guillaud said France would do all it could to ensure civilians were not targeted. "When in doubt, we will not fire," he said. | Adm Guillaud said France would do all it could to ensure civilians were not targeted. "When in doubt, we will not fire," he said. |
| French President Francois Hollande said France had been right to intervene. | French President Francois Hollande said France had been right to intervene. |
| "If the choice had not been made, it would no longer have been a question of 'when', because it would have been too late," he told journalists. | "If the choice had not been made, it would no longer have been a question of 'when', because it would have been too late," he told journalists. |
| "Mali would have been conquered completely and the terrorists would be in a strong position today." | "Mali would have been conquered completely and the terrorists would be in a strong position today." |
| Mr Hollande later said that France's parliament would hold a vote on the operation if it had to be extended beyond four months. | Mr Hollande later said that France's parliament would hold a vote on the operation if it had to be extended beyond four months. |
| In a separate development, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court has opened a war crimes investigation, focusing on acts committed since January 2012 in some northern regions of the country. | In a separate development, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court has opened a war crimes investigation, focusing on acts committed since January 2012 in some northern regions of the country. |
| "At each stage during the conflict, different armed groups have caused havoc and human suffering through a range of alleged acts of extreme violence," Fatou Bensouda said. | "At each stage during the conflict, different armed groups have caused havoc and human suffering through a range of alleged acts of extreme violence," Fatou Bensouda said. |
| "I have determined that some of these deeds of brutality and destruction may constitute war crimes." | "I have determined that some of these deeds of brutality and destruction may constitute war crimes." |
| The battle for Mali | The battle for Mali |