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| Mali crisis: UK military experts set for Mali | Mali crisis: UK military experts set for Mali |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A British team of about 40 military advisers is to be sent to Mali, government sources have told the BBC. | |
| The decision is likely to be confirmed at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. | The decision is likely to be confirmed at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. |
| The BBC also understands ministers are considering deploying British troops as "force protection" for the advisers. | |
| Separately, officials are meeting in Ethiopia where they are expected to approve plans to send about 170 British troops to neighbouring states to train African forces for use in Mali. | Separately, officials are meeting in Ethiopia where they are expected to approve plans to send about 170 British troops to neighbouring states to train African forces for use in Mali. |
| French-led troops have taken Timbuktu in their operation against Islamists. | French-led troops have taken Timbuktu in their operation against Islamists. |
| Labour has called for further clarity on what part the UK might take in the French-led mission. | Labour has called for further clarity on what part the UK might take in the French-led mission. |
| 'Regional approach' | 'Regional approach' |
| Downing Street has said the number of British troops likely to be sent to Mali to train forces there remains in "the tens" and would be part of an EU-led mission. | Downing Street has said the number of British troops likely to be sent to Mali to train forces there remains in "the tens" and would be part of an EU-led mission. |
| It said there was no question of British units getting involved in fighting. | It said there was no question of British units getting involved in fighting. |
| But the UK has made clear to France that it is ready to offer more help towards its operations there. | But the UK has made clear to France that it is ready to offer more help towards its operations there. |
| RAF C17 transport planes are already flying French equipment to Mali, and the UK has also contributed a Sentinel reconnaissance aircraft for intelligence gathering. | RAF C17 transport planes are already flying French equipment to Mali, and the UK has also contributed a Sentinel reconnaissance aircraft for intelligence gathering. |
| Number 10 said David Cameron spoke to French President Francois Hollande on Sunday evening, telling Mr Hollande that Britain is "keen" to provide further military assistance. | Number 10 said David Cameron spoke to French President Francois Hollande on Sunday evening, telling Mr Hollande that Britain is "keen" to provide further military assistance. |
| Any further assistance is likely to be in the areas of logistics, surveillance, intelligence and transport, on top of the training already being discussed. | Any further assistance is likely to be in the areas of logistics, surveillance, intelligence and transport, on top of the training already being discussed. |
| The UK's National Security Adviser, Sir Kim Darroch, has also been in Paris to discuss what further help the UK could provide to France's operation to drive Islamist militants from its former colony. | The UK's National Security Adviser, Sir Kim Darroch, has also been in Paris to discuss what further help the UK could provide to France's operation to drive Islamist militants from its former colony. |
| European officials are holding a "technical-level" meeting in Brussels on Tuesday afternoon regarding force generation for the EU training mission for Mali. | European officials are holding a "technical-level" meeting in Brussels on Tuesday afternoon regarding force generation for the EU training mission for Mali. |
| The meeting should make clearer which nations will send trainers and force protection, our correspondent says. | The meeting should make clearer which nations will send trainers and force protection, our correspondent says. |
| The detail of any decisions made would be likely to be announced in Parliament, but it is not known if this will be later on Tuesday or in the coming days. | The detail of any decisions made would be likely to be announced in Parliament, but it is not known if this will be later on Tuesday or in the coming days. |
| Training role | Training role |
| The BBC's Norman Smith says separately defence attaches are meeting in Addis Ababa where they are expected to approve plans to send around 170 British troops to neighbouring West African countries to train forces for use in Mali. | The BBC's Norman Smith says separately defence attaches are meeting in Addis Ababa where they are expected to approve plans to send around 170 British troops to neighbouring West African countries to train forces for use in Mali. |
| The French and Malian military said troops encountered little resistance when they entered the historic city of Timbuktu. | The French and Malian military said troops encountered little resistance when they entered the historic city of Timbuktu. |
| Mr Hollande said joint forces, which have been pushing north in their offensive against Islamist rebels, were "winning this battle". | Mr Hollande said joint forces, which have been pushing north in their offensive against Islamist rebels, were "winning this battle". |
| They seized Gao, northern Mali's biggest city, on Saturday. | They seized Gao, northern Mali's biggest city, on Saturday. |
| Islamist militants took the north of the country last year, but have been losing ground since French forces launched an operation earlier this month. | |
| 'Humanitarian reasons' | 'Humanitarian reasons' |
| Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said it was important the UK supported the mission in Mali, but it is "not for us to put combat troops on the ground". | Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said it was important the UK supported the mission in Mali, but it is "not for us to put combat troops on the ground". |
| "We have to be very clear about how long we intend to be there [and] what it is we're seeking to achieve, so that the public, who are wary and weary after Iraq and Afghanistan, don't say 'Oh not again'," he told the BBC News Channel. | "We have to be very clear about how long we intend to be there [and] what it is we're seeking to achieve, so that the public, who are wary and weary after Iraq and Afghanistan, don't say 'Oh not again'," he told the BBC News Channel. |
| He said the government also needed to be more clear on how it would protect British troops. | He said the government also needed to be more clear on how it would protect British troops. |
| "Who's going to carry out that force protection? You can't send members of the UK armed forces into these countries by themselves, so are we expecting the French to protect them?… Or are we expecting our own troops to protect them? At which point we're not into dozens we're into multiples of dozens to protect our own forces," he said. | "Who's going to carry out that force protection? You can't send members of the UK armed forces into these countries by themselves, so are we expecting the French to protect them?… Or are we expecting our own troops to protect them? At which point we're not into dozens we're into multiples of dozens to protect our own forces," he said. |
| Prof Michael Clarke, a director of the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said the British involvement was a "politically important" gesture to illustrate Anglo-French military co-operation. | Prof Michael Clarke, a director of the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said the British involvement was a "politically important" gesture to illustrate Anglo-French military co-operation. |
| But he said the British troops could also fulfil an important "technical" role, providing communications and other support for the African Ecowas (Economic Community Of West African States) troops who will be going in after the French. | But he said the British troops could also fulfil an important "technical" role, providing communications and other support for the African Ecowas (Economic Community Of West African States) troops who will be going in after the French. |
| Prof Clarke said he could not discern a clear strategy at the moment in Mali but he added: "That is understandable. In Libya we went in for humanitarian reasons and then a strategy evolved. That is what the French did, they went in initially for humanitarian reasons. | Prof Clarke said he could not discern a clear strategy at the moment in Mali but he added: "That is understandable. In Libya we went in for humanitarian reasons and then a strategy evolved. That is what the French did, they went in initially for humanitarian reasons. |
| "I suspect the strategy [in Mali] will be to guarantee the cities are safe so that Islamists are kicked out and then let time do its work." | "I suspect the strategy [in Mali] will be to guarantee the cities are safe so that Islamists are kicked out and then let time do its work." |
| Former head of the Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, backed the government's position but warned that nations involved may face a "protracted guerrilla warfare". | Former head of the Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, backed the government's position but warned that nations involved may face a "protracted guerrilla warfare". |
| "It doesn't really surprise me that the British government feels it needs to be seen to be helping," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. | "It doesn't really surprise me that the British government feels it needs to be seen to be helping," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. |
| "We cannot let states fail because we know from recent history that failed states just lead to really difficult circumstances, instability." | "We cannot let states fail because we know from recent history that failed states just lead to really difficult circumstances, instability." |