Malian government troops drove back Islamist rebels from a strategic central town following France intervened on Friday with air strikes to halt advances from the militants controlling the country's desert north.
Western governments, especially former colonial electrical power France, had voiced alarm following the al Qaeda-linked rebel alliance captured the town of Konna on Thursday, a gateway in the direction of the capital Bamako 600 km (375 miles) south.
President Francois Hollande stated France wouldn't stand by to view the rebels push southward. Paris has repeatedly warned the Islamists' seizure of your country's north in April gave them a base to assault neighboring African nations and Europe.
"We are faced with blatant aggression that may be threatening Mali's quite existence. France are unable to accept this," Hollande, who a short while ago pledged Paris wouldn't to meddle in African affairs, mentioned within a New Year speech to diplomats and journalists.
The president explained resolutions through the United Nations Protection Council, which in December sanctioned an African-led military intervention in Mali, meant France was acting in accordance with global law.
In Washington, a U.S. official informed Reuters the Pentagon is weighing alternatives in Mali, which include intelligence-sharing with France and logistics help.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius confirmed that France had carried out air strikes against the rebels to stop them conquering the entire of Mali. He refused to reveal even more information, which include irrespective of whether French troops have been around the ground.
France's intervention right away tipped the military stability of electrical power, with Malian government forces swiftly sweeping back into Konna, in accordance with community residents.
"The Malian army has retaken Konna using the aid of our military partners. We're there now," Lieutenant Colonel Diaran Kone informed Reuters, including the army was mopping up Islamist fighters during the surrounding place.
EU SPEEDS UP DEPLOYMENT
A military operation had not been anticipated till September as a result of the problems of education Malian troops, funding the African force and deploying through the mid-year rainy season. Nevertheless, Mali's government appealed for urgent military assist from France on Thursday immediately after Islamist fighters took Konna.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton identified as on Friday for "accelerated worldwide engagement" and explained the bloc would speed up ideas to deploy 200 troops to train Malian forces, at first anticipated in late February.
The capture of Konna from the rebels - who've imposed rigid Sharia Islamic law in northern Mali - had brought on panic amongst residents during the towns of Mopti and Sevare, 60 km (40 miles) towards the south. Calm returned, having said that, soon after residents reported Western soldiers and foreign military aircraft arriving late on Thursday at Sevare's airport - the principle one particular inside the area.
Military analysts stated the Western soldiers could are already the primary deployment of French particular forces.
They voiced doubt, nonetheless, whether or not Friday's action heralded the start off in the last operation to retake northern Mali - a harsh, sparsely populated terrain the dimension of France - as neither the tools nor ground troops have been prepared.
"We're not but on the massive intervention," mentioned Mark Schroeder, director for Sub-Saharan Africa evaluation for your worldwide danger and safety consultancy Stratfor. He explained France had been forced to act once the Islamists bore down on Sevare, a critical launching point for potential military operations.
"The French recognized this was a red line they couldn't permit to become crossed," he explained.
STATE OF EMERGENCY
Over two decades of peaceful elections had earned Mali a track record like a bulwark of democracy inside a a part of Africa much better acknowledged for turmoil - an picture that unraveled within a matter of weeks just after a military coup final March that paved the way in which for that Islamist rebellion.
Mali is Africa's third biggest gold producer plus a important cotton grower, and household on the fabled northern desert city of Timbuktu - an ancient trading hub and UNESCO Globe Heritage web page that hosted yearly music festivals well before the rebellion.
Interim President Dioncounda Traore, below strain for bolder action from Mali's military, declared a state of emergency on Friday. Traore will fly to Paris for talks with Hollande on Wednesday.
"Every Malian should henceforth think about themself a soldier," Traore mentioned on state Television, calling on mining and telecoms organizations to contribute on the war work. He stated he requested French air help together with the blessing of West African allies.
The chief of operations for Mali's Defence Ministry mentioned that Nigeria and Senegal have been amid another nations giving military assistance within the ground. Fabius stated these nations had not taken portion inside the French operation.
A spokesman for that Nigerian air force explained planes had been deployed to Mali for any reconnaissance mission, not for fight.
The French foreign ministry stepped up its safety alert on Mali and components of neighboring Mauritania and Niger on Friday, extending its red alert - the highest degree - to contain Bamako. France has eight nationals in Islamist hands within the Sahara immediately after a string of kidnappings.
A spokesman for al Qaeda's north African arm AQIM urged France, within a video posted on-line, to reconsider its intervention. "Stop your assault against us or that you are digging your personal sons' graves," stated Abdallah Al-Chinguetti.
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