Sun Jan 13, 2013 5:09pm EST
BAMAKO/PARIS (Reuters) - French killer jets pounded Islamist rebel strongholds heavy within upper Mali on Sunday while Paris mixed more soldiers on the budget Bamako, waiting for a new West African force to be able to dislodge al Qaeda-linked insurgents with the nation's north.
The blasts about Islamist situations on the ancient desert dealing town connected with Timbuktu as well as Gao, the largest area from the north, marked a new major intensification to the lastly morning of the particular French mission, striking in the middle of the vast region arrested by rebels in April.
France is decided to get rid of Islamist control connected with northern Mali , that many concern could react as being a starting intended for violence to the West and then for links with al Qaeda in Yemen, Somalia plus North Africa.
Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian claimed France's unexpected intervention upon Friday possessed prevented the actual advancing rebels coming from taking away Bamako. He vowed which surroundings affects would certainly continue.
"The president is totally established that we have to eradicate these kind of terrorists that threaten the security of Mali, our private land in addition to Europe," they advised French television.
Residents plus rebel commanders experienced reported air flow raids in the beginning Sunday within that cities of Lere as well as Douentza within central Mali, pumping Islamists to be able to withdraw. As a single day progressed, French jets minted spots more to the north, like near the village associated with Kidal, the actual epicenter in the rebellion.
In Gao, a dusty town about the banks belonging to the Niger river where by Islamists include charged an intense sort of sharia law, inhabitants said French jets pounded the flight terminal as well as rebel positions. A huge cloud associated with dark-colored smoking flower in the militants' camp inside city's north, and also pick-up trucks ferried expended as well as hurt to be able to hospital.
"The air carriers will be so rapidly you'll be able to simply hear their noise within the sky," resident Soumaila Maiga claimed by telephone. "We will be happy, even though it is frightening. Soon we are going to often be delivered."
Paris explained some Rafale jets flew from France for you to hand techinque digital rebel teaching camps, logistics depots and also infrastructure around Gao considering the aim regarding weakening that rebels and also protecting against these individuals coming from going back southward.
"We plugged this terrorists' advance as well as from currently just what exactly we have now going to perform is always to destroy the particular terrorists' bottoms behind entry line," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius explained to LCI television.
France features deployed about 550 troops to help Mali below "Operation Serval" known as after a good African wildcat split involving Bamako along with the in a niche community with Mopti, 500 km (300 miles) north.
In Bamako, a new Reuters cameraman saw more than 100 French troops disembark on Sunday coming from a army consignments plane for the global airport, about your borders in the capital.
The city's roadway were calm, when using the sun streaking throughout the dusty weather for the reason that seasonal Harmattan blowing wind blew with the Sahara. Many cars and trucks had French flags draped through the your windows program for you to celebrate Paris's intervention.
"We give thanks France with regard to coming to our own aid," explained resident Mariam Sidibe. "We hope them proceeds right until the north is usually free."
AFRICAN TROOPS EXPECTED
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