African News Agency : Welcome

Bamako, 16 Jan - (ANA) - French troops are set for their first major ground combat with Islamist rebels in Mali after heading out from the capital, Bamako. A convoy of about 30 armoured vehicles set out yesterday for Diabaly, 350km (220 miles) to the north, a town captured by the rebels the day before. The first units of an African force are set to arrive today to bolster the French. France intervened last Friday to halt the Islamists' drive to the capital. Islamists entered Diabaly on Monday, taking the town from Malian forces. French war planes have since attacked the rebel positions. French army chief Edouard Guillaud said today that ground operations had now begun. He told Europe 1 radio: "In the coming hours - but I cannot tell you if it's in one hour or 72 hours - yes, of course, we will be fighting them directly." Residents of Niono, 70km south of Diabaly, say the French arrived overnight. One Malian source told Reuters news agency the "final assault is only a matter of time". However, the French may face a difficult situation in Diabaly. One eyewitness, Ibrahim Komnotogo, told the Associated Press news agency: "The jihadists have split up. They don't move around in big groups. They are out in the streets, in fours and fives and sixes, and they are living inside the most habituated neighbourhoods." Adm Guillaud said France would do all it could to ensure civilians were not targeted. "When in doubt, we will not fire," he said. Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has admitted that Malian forces around Diabaly have been struggling to combat the well-armed rebels. He also admitted that the central town of Konna had not been recaptured by government forces as had earlier been reported. He said: "We are up against a determined adversary that is well-equipped and has not given up, but we have hit them hard with our strikes, including those deep in their territory." Correspondents say the French or their allies in the Malian army need to take control of both Konna and Diabaly if their campaign is to advance. France has some 800 troops on the ground in Mali and defence sources said their numbers were expected to increase to 2,500. (ANA)