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First Nigerian troops to join anti-rebel operation in Mali Mali conflict: France boosts troop numbers
(about 5 hours later)
Close to 200 Nigerian troops are due to arrive in Mali to help fight Islamist insurgents in the country's north. France has increased its troop strength in Mali to 1,400 to help fight militant Islamists in the north, the French defence minister has said.
It is the first West African contingent to join France's anti-rebel operation launched in Mali on Friday. Close to 200 Nigerian troops are also due to arrive in Mali to join the military campaign.
In total, 3,300 regional troops will be deployed in the conflict under href="http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2085(2012)" title="UN Security Council resolution 2085" >a UN Security Council resolution. Chad has confirmed it will send 2,000 troops. In Brussels, the EU foreign ministers agreed to press ahead with sending a team to train the weak Malian army.
Meanwhile French and Malian forces have started the first major ground operation against the militants. France said it launched military action in Mali last Friday to prevent it from becoming a "terrorist state".
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. "The actions of French forces, be it air forces or ground forces, are ongoing," France's Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday.
Islamists entered Diabaly on Monday, taking the town from Malian forces. French fighter jets have since attacked the rebel position. "They took place yesterday, they took place last night, they took place today, they will take place tomorrow."
Limited support On Wednesday, French and Malian sources said their forces launched the first major ground operation against the militants, with street battles taking place in the town of Diabaly, 350km (220 miles) north of the capital Bamako.
But Diabaly's mayor, Oumar Diakite, told the BBC from Bamako only Malian troops were involved in the battle.
Both sides suffered casualties, he said.
"The Islamists were burying their dead next to our cemetery in Diabaly. There were also three bodies of Malian soldiers lying on the side of the road," Mr Diakite added.
"The residents wanted to take the bodies and bury them, but they [the militants] would not let us."
'Limited support'
Mr Diakite said French forces were in the nearby town of Niono.
"They are co-ordinating with the Malian army," he said.
Well-armed Islamists entered Diabaly on Monday, taking the town from Malian forces.
French fighter jets have since attacked rebel positions.
France had some 800 troops on the ground in Mali, before the latest deployment.
Defence sources said their numbers were expected to increase to 2,500.
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. It is the first West African contingent to join France's anti-rebel operation.
Nigeria will lead the West African 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.
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. In total, 3,300 regional troops will be deployed in the conflict under href="http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2085(2012)" title="UN Security Council resolution 2085" >a UN Security Council resolution.
It has some 800 troops on the ground in Mali and defence sources said their numbers were expected to increase to 2,500. France has been pushing hard for the deployment of West African troops and 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.
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' EU foreign ministers agreed at a meeting in Brussels on Thursday to send a military training mission to Mali.
Meanwhile a convoy of 50 French armoured vehicles left Bamako on Wednesday. No combat role is envisaged for it.
"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. "The threat of jihadi terrorists is something that should be a matter of great concern to all of us," Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans said, ahead of the meeting, Reuters news agency reports.
He admitted that Malian forces around Diabaly have been struggling to combat the well-armed rebels. "And there is not one European country that can hide if this threat would present itself to the European continent."
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.
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.
"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."
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.
"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."
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Are you in Mali? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your experiences using the form below.Are you in Mali? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your experiences using the form below.