Siege

Mali Town Battered by Airstrikes

French president seeks Islamic support.

French forces conducted a nighttime bomb attack Monday on the Mali town of Diabaly, believed to be controlled by Islamic militants. Speaking at a military base in Abu Dhabi, French President François Hollande said the overnight strikes “hit their targets” and said the “deployment of forces on the ground and in the air” will continue. Meanwhile, West African defense chiefs are scheduled to meet in Bamako on Tuesday to speed up the deployment of 3,300 African troops. Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Guinea have all offered to send troops to aid the Malian government—although Nigeria, the leader of the mission, has cautioned against rushing in. The U.S. has also pledged support.