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 energy 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 on the country's north in April gave them a base to assault neighboring African nations and Europe.
"We are faced with blatant aggression that is certainly threatening Mali's extremely existence. France can't accept this," Hollande, who a short while ago pledged Paris wouldn't to meddle in African affairs, explained inside a New Year speech to diplomats and journalists.
The president stated resolutions through the United Nations Safety 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 possibilities 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 avoid them conquering the entire of Mali. He refused to reveal additional information, for example no matter if French troops had been for the ground.
France's intervention straight away tipped the military stability of electrical power, with Malian government forces promptly sweeping back into Konna, based on nearby 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 until finally September as a result of the issues of teaching Malian troops, funding the African force and deploying throughout the mid-year rainy season. Having said that, Mali's government appealed for urgent military help from France on Thursday soon after Islamist fighters took Konna.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton referred to as on Friday for "accelerated global 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 triggered panic amid residents inside the towns of Mopti and Sevare, 60 km (40 miles) on the south. Calm returned, on the other hand, following residents reported Western soldiers and foreign military aircraft arriving late on Thursday at Sevare's airport - the key 1 during the area.
Military analysts explained the Western soldiers might are actually the primary deployment of French specific forces.
They voiced doubt, even so, no matter if Friday's action heralded the begin on the last operation to retake northern Mali - a harsh, sparsely populated terrain the dimension of France - as neither the gear nor ground troops have been prepared.
"We're not still on the huge intervention," stated Mark Schroeder, director for Sub-Saharan Africa evaluation to the international danger and protection consultancy Stratfor. He mentioned France had been forced to act once the Islamists bore down on Sevare, a important launching point for potential military operations.
"The French recognized this was a red line they couldn't permit to get crossed," he mentioned.
STATE OF EMERGENCY
A lot more than two decades of peaceful elections had earned Mali a track record like a bulwark of democracy within a a part of Africa improved regarded for turmoil - an picture that unraveled within a matter of weeks soon after a military coup final March that paved the way in which for your Islamist rebellion.
Mali is Africa's third biggest gold producer in addition to a main cotton grower, and residence for the fabled northern desert city of Timbuktu - an ancient trading hub and UNESCO Planet Heritage web page that hosted yearly music festivals in advance of the rebellion.
Interim President Dioncounda Traore, beneath 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 will have to henceforth take into consideration themself a soldier," Traore mentioned on state Television, calling on mining and telecoms firms to contribute for the war hard work. He mentioned he requested French air assistance together with the blessing of West African allies.
The chief of operations for Mali's Defence Ministry mentioned that Nigeria and Senegal had been amid another nations supplying military assistance around the ground. Fabius mentioned these nations had not taken portion from the French operation.
A spokesman to the Nigerian air force stated 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 consist of Bamako. France has eight nationals in Islamist hands from the Sahara following a string of kidnappings.
A spokesman for al Qaeda's north African arm AQIM urged France, within a video posted online, to reconsider its intervention. "Stop your assault against us or you happen to be digging your individual sons' graves," stated Abdallah Al-Chinguetti.
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