Western governments, specifically 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 from 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 pretty existence. France can't accept this," Hollande, who not long ago pledged Paris wouldn't to meddle in African affairs, mentioned within a New Year speech to diplomats and journalists.
The president stated resolutions from the United Nations Safety Council, which in December sanctioned an African-led military intervention in Mali, meant France was acting in accordance with worldwide law.
In Washington, a U.S. official informed Reuters the Pentagon is weighing alternatives in Mali, which include intelligence-sharing with France and logistics assistance.
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 even more facts, for example no matter if French troops have been about the ground.
France's intervention right away tipped the military stability of energy, with Malian government forces speedily sweeping back into Konna, in accordance with regional residents.
"The Malian army has retaken Konna with all the support 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 spot.
EU SPEEDS UP DEPLOYMENT
A military operation had not been anticipated right up until September resulting from the issues of teaching Malian troops, funding the African force and deploying through the mid-year rainy season. Nonetheless, Mali's government appealed for urgent military help from France on Thursday just after Islamist fighters took Konna.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton identified as on Friday for "accelerated global engagement" and mentioned 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 - that have imposed stringent Sharia Islamic law in northern Mali - had triggered panic amongst residents during the towns of Mopti and Sevare, 60 km (40 miles) towards the south. Calm returned, nevertheless, just after residents reported Western soldiers and foreign military aircraft arriving late on Thursday at Sevare's airport - the primary one particular inside the area.
Military analysts explained the Western soldiers might happen to be the initial deployment of French distinctive forces.
They voiced doubt, nonetheless, no matter if 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 gear nor ground troops have been prepared.
"We're not but with the major intervention," stated Mark Schroeder, director for Sub-Saharan Africa evaluation for that international chance and protection consultancy Stratfor. He explained France had been forced to act once the Islamists bore down on Sevare, a essential launching point for long term 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 being a bulwark of democracy within a a part of Africa much better acknowledged for turmoil - an picture that unraveled inside a matter of weeks following a military coup final March that paved the way in which to the Islamist rebellion.
Mali is Africa's third biggest gold producer plus a big cotton grower, and property towards the fabled northern desert city of Timbuktu - an ancient trading hub and UNESCO Planet Heritage website that hosted yearly music festivals prior to the rebellion.
Interim President Dioncounda Traore, below stress 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 contemplate themself a soldier," Traore explained on state Television, calling on mining and telecoms firms to contribute to your war energy. He mentioned he requested French air assistance with all the blessing of West African allies.
The chief of operations for Mali's Defence Ministry stated that Nigeria and Senegal have been between another nations delivering military help about the ground. Fabius explained these nations had not taken component within the French operation.
A spokesman for your Nigerian air force explained planes had been deployed to Mali to get a 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 include things like Bamako. France has eight nationals in Islamist hands while in the Sahara just after a string of kidnappings.
A spokesman for al Qaeda's north African arm AQIM urged France, within a video posted on the web, to reconsider its intervention. "Stop your assault against us or you're digging your individual sons' graves," mentioned Abdallah Al-Chinguetti.
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