French Troops, Planes, Bombard Extremists in Mali (PHOTOS)
As French troops ramp up their aerial bombardment of northern Mali, other countries are pledging support. See photos of the military operations.
Jerome Delay/AP
As French troops ramp up their aerial bombardment of northern Mali, which began on January 11 in an effort alongside the Malian army to push back Islamist militants seizing the region and threatening the capital Bamako, other countries have begun offering their support. On Monday, the United States announced they would contribute intelligence and support, while Britian is lending logisitical support, and a handful of African nations are deploying thousands of troops in the coming days. Meanwhile, in France, 700 troops were deployed in and around Paris, as the country fears reprisal from al Qaeda and other extremist groups involved in Mali, who have warned that France has "opened the doors of hell" by unleashing its warplanes and have called for an attack on French soil. As the situation escalates, here's a look at the French efforts to rid Mali of extremists.
Jerome Delay/AP
French troops from the "Licorne" operation based in the Ivory Coast arrived at the 101st military airbase near Bamako on January 15 to reinforce the "Serval" operations, before their deployment in the north of Mali.
Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty
After leading an all-night aerial bombing campaign on Tuesday, French troops gather in a hangar at Bamako's airport. The campaign is the latest effort to gain control of a small Malian town back from armed Islamist extremists who seized the area, including its strategic military camp. France is preparing for a possible land assault as well and convoys of trucks carrying French troops crossed into Mali from Ivory Coast this week, and are soon to be joined by several thousand soldiers from the nations neighboring Mali.
Jerome Delay/AP
A resident of Bamako, Mali, looks at newspapers' frontpages focusing on France's military intervention to turn back the terrorist threat.
Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty
A man weighs himself during a blood drive for Malian soldiers fighting al Qaeda-linked Islamists in northern Mali, in Bamako. French aircraft pounded Islamist rebels in Mali for a second day on Saturday and neighbouring West African states sped up their plans to deploy troops in an international campaign to prevent groups linked to al Qaeda expanding their power base.
Joe Penney/Reuters, via Landov
A man holds a blood bag during a blood donation in Bamako. Islamists have retreated in the east of Mali but French forces are facing a difficult situation in the west of the country where rebels are well armed, said French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty
Operation "Serval" of the French army in Mali prepares to fight against Islamist terrorists, as they await departure the bases of the Malian Air Force.
Alvaro Canovas/Paris Match, via Getty
The French soldiers of 2E RIMA unload as they await deployment from Bamako to the region of Mopti, where militants have been gaining control at a disturbing speed.
Alvaro Canovas/Paris Match, via Getty
A French military armoured personnel carrier is loaded on to a Royal Air Force C-17 aircraft at Evreux in northern France. Britain is lending logistical support to France as it sends troops and military equipment to Mali.
Andrew Winning/Reuters, via Landov
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