FG deploys fighter jets

MALI’S army has recaptured Konna after Islamist rebels fled, the military and residents in the strategically important central town have said.

France began its intervention in Mali a week ago because of the rebel takeover of the town north of the capital.

Earlier this week, French officials denied a claim by the Malian army that the government had regained Konna.

Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) refugee agency said it feared the fighting could force 700,000 people from their homes.

Some 150,000 people have already gone to neighbouring countries, Reuters reported.

It quoted the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) as saying that 400,000 more could flee Mali, with a further 300,000 displaced within the country.

The first 100 troops of an African force landed in the capital, Bamako on Thursday evening.

The soldiers from Togo and Nigeria are part of a long-planned West African force that will join the French and Malian armies in fighting the Islamist insurgents who took over northern Mali last year.

Nigeria said it would increase its forces to 1,200.

On Thursday, France said it was increasing its troop strength to 1,400 after intervening initially with air strikes to try to halt a rapid advance by the Islamists.

Correspondents said a strong French contingent was at Segou, north-east of Bamako, to guard a major bridge across the Niger River, which the rebels would have to cross to threaten the capital.

Bamako-based journalist Kodji Siby, told BBC Africa that he had spoken to residents in Konna, about 550 kilometres (340 miles) north of Bamako, who said the Islamists fled the town when Malian soldiers deployed.

“We have wrested total control of Konna after inflicting heavy losses on the enemy,” AFP quoted a Malian army statement as saying.

The area is not accessible to independent observers. The aid group, Doctors Without Borders, told the Associated Press it had been trying to get to Konna since Monday but all roads leading to the area were closed by the Malian military.

On Thursday, French forces were bombarding the town of Diabaly, 350 kilometres from capital, which was captured by Islamists earlier in the week.

There was fighting on the streets until 03:00 GMT on Friday, Diabaly Mayor Oumar Diakite said from nearby Niono - and Islamists were reported to be leaving the town.

In total, 3,300 regional troops will be deployed in the conflict under a UN Security Council resolution.

Defence sources say France is likely to boost its troop numbers to 2,500.

Nigeria will lead the West African force, with Chad, Benin, Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Togo also sending soldiers.

Islamist groups and secular Tuareg rebels took advantage of chaos following a military coup to seize northern Mali in April 2012. But the Islamists soon took control of the region’s major towns, sidelining the Tuaregs.

Meanwhile, leaders in the West African sub-region, including President Goodluck Jonathan, will today hold an extraordinary summit in the Ivorian city of Abidjan.

The summit is to take additional measures aimed at solving the Malian crisis following the seizure of the north by Islamists.

The conference of heads of state and government is also to be attended by representatives from 18 institutions and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) non-member countries.

They will assess the latest developments in Mali and see how the region can cooperate with the international community to implement United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution 2085.
During the session, the regional leaders will hear a speech by ECOWAS Commission chairman, Mr Kadré Désiré Ouédrago, on the political and security situation in Mali.

It will similarly receive reports from Burkina Faso president, Blaise Compaoré and President Jonathan on the mediation efforts they are undertaking in the resolution of conflicts.

They will also be briefed about deployment of the international mission to support Mali (MISMA) by the chairman of the Committee of ECOWAS army chiefs of staff, Ivorian general, Soumaila Bakayoko.

The Ivorian minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Charles Koffi Diby, is also expected to present a report on the meeting of the mediation and Security Council (CMS).

The summit of heads of state and government was preceded by an extraordinary meeting of MSC, on Friday, which brought together ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence from ECOWAS member countries, to discuss the situation in Mali and Guinea Bissau and make recommendations.

The Abidjan summit would also approve the nomination of Major-General Shehu Usman Abdulkadir from Nigeria as MISMA commander and Brigadier-General Yaye Garba from Niger as his deputy.