Britain to send troops and two planes to Mali to assist French operation against Islamist rebels

Follows conversation between David Cameron and Francois Hollande

UK troops will not engage in combat in the West African country



Prime Minister expressed deep concern about al-Qaeda advancement in Mali

French strikes helped wrestle key town Konna back from Islamic militants

French intervention prompts protests involving Islamists in London

Al-Qaeda warns France it will be 'digging tombs of sons' if action continues



Britain will assist France in its attempt to stop the advancement of al-Qaeda rebels in Mali, it has been revealed.

The UK will transport troops and specialist equipment to the West African country after France launched an operation in conjunction with the Malian Government to halt Islamic extremists.



Assistance was agreed in a phone call between David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande.

The Prime Minister earlier expressed his 'deep concern' about the advancement of rebels in the country.

Onlookers walk past a fire at Ngolonina market in the Malian capital of Bamako. The fire began as France launched air strikes against Islamist militants

France launched its air offensive after al-Qaeda rebels made advances in the key Mali city of Konna

A police officer and firemen walk at the scene of the fire

Downing Street stressed that British troops would not engage in combat in the country, but two transport planes are expected to be deployed within 24-48 hours.

A Downing Street spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister spoke to President Hollande this evening to discuss the deteriorating situation in Mali and how the UK can support French military assistance provided to the Malian Government to contain rebel and extremist groups in the north of the country.'



'The Prime Minister has agreed that the UK will provide logistical military assistance to help transport foreign troops and equipment quickly to Mali.

'We will not be deploying any British personnel in a combat role. They also agreed that the peacekeeping mission from West African countries needs to be strongly supported by countries in the region and deployed as quickly as possible.

'Both leaders agreed that the situation in Mali poses a real threat to international security given terrorist activity there.'

The Government's National Security Council is set to discuss the situation in Mali when it meets on Tuesday.



More than 100 people were killed when troops French began their operation in the country on Friday.



Mr Hollande said his troops would target Islamist terrorists in the former French territory for 'as long as necessary', despite the death of a pilot in the attack.

The dramatic intervention coincided with a failed operation, launched only hours before, to free a French hostage being held captive in Somali, during which the hostage and two commandos were killed.

United front: The UK's assistance to France was agreed during a conversation between French President Francois Hollande and David Cameron this evening



Military action: French Mirage 2000 D aircraft fly over Mali, after taking off from the French military base of N'Djamena, in Chad

Forced to act: A fighter jet refuels above the skies of Mali. French President Francois Hollande has said he had to take action against the terrorists who 'show a brutality that threatens us all'



The involvement of French forces in the African nation marks a dramatic change in Mr Hollande's attitude to foreign intervention. The President was spurred to act by the potential southern advancement of rebels towards Mali's capital Bamako, having already occupied much of the country's northern region. The operation, backed by the UN Security Council and West African nations, was in response to a plea for help from the country's government. Mr Hollande sent 200 troops, as well as the bombers, to join local forces as they wrestled control back in the strategic, rebel-held town of Konna.

Western powers fear that the al-Qaeda-linked militants will seek to use the vast desert zone in Mali as a springboard for international attacks. Speaking about the decision to intervene, Mr Hollande said he was forced to act against the terrorists who 'show a brutality that threatens us all', and said the operation was in part aimed at protecting Mali's 6,000 French citizens. He said: 'We have already held back the progress of our adversaries and inflicted heavy losses on them. But our mission is not over yet. ' The terrorists should know that France will always be there when the rights of a people, those of Mali who want to live freely and in a democracy, are at issue.' Mr Hollande said Islamists had shown 'blatant aggression that is threatening Mali's very existence' and said the operation was in part aimed at protecting Mali's 6,000 French citizens

Concerned about reprisals on French soil, Hollande said he had asked his prime minister to reinforce security in public buildings and on public transport as quickly as possible.

David Cameron earlier expressed his 'deep concern' about the advancement of al-Qaeda in Mali, backing France's decision to launch military action against the terror group's militants.



The offensive has prompted British Islamists to protest outside the French Embassy in London.



Mr Cameron also sent his condolences to the family of the dead hostage killed in Somalia, Denis Alexx.

'I am deeply concerned about the recent rebel advances in Mali, which extend the reach of terrorist groups and threaten the stability of the country and the wider region,' said Mr Cameron.

'I welcome the military assistance France has provided to the Malian government, at their request, to halt this advance.

'These developments show the need to make urgent progress in implementing UN Security Council resolutions on Mali and ensure that military intervention is reinforced by an inclusive political process leading to elections and a return to full civilian rule.

'I would also like to send personal condolences to the families of the French hostage killed in Somalia and those of the two soldiers either killed or missing in the rescue attempt.

Veiled Muslim women and children hold up signs reading 'Jihad' and calling for Shari'ah law in Mali as they protest outside the French embassy in central London

About 50 protestors waved placards and shouted in opposition to the sir strikes on Islamic militants, authorised by French President Francois Hollande

'Last night's tragic events underline how essential it is that we work together to combat terrorism in Africa.'

An army officer at the headquarters of Mali's former military junta in Bamako said nearly 30 vehicles carrying Islamist fighters had been hit by the French airstrikes and 'over 100' rebels had been killed in fighting.



'We have driven them out, we are effectively in Konna,' Malian Defence Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Diaran Kone said.



'We don't know if they have planted mines or other traps, so we are moving with caution. There were many deaths on both sides.'



A shopkeeper in Konna said he had counted 148 bodies in four different locations in the town, including several dozen uniformed government soldiers.



French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the militants threatened to create 'a terrorist state at the doorstep of France and Europe'.

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (left) told a news conference in Paris that the rebels in Mali threatened to create a terrorist state on the doorstep of Europe. He was backed by David Cameron (right)



The fighting involved hundreds of French troops and overnight airstrikes on three rebel targets, said Mr Le Drian.

A spokesman for al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said he considered the French operation a 'crusader intervention', and told France it would be 'digging the tombs of its sons' if the operation continued, according to the Mauritania-based Sahara Media website.

A military official in Mali said Islamist militants were driven out of Konna, but that the city captured by the extremists earlier this week was not yet under government control.

'We are doing sweeps of the city to find any hidden Islamist extremist elements,' said Lt. Col. Diarran Kone.

'The full recovery of the city is too early to determine as we do not yet control the city, and we remain vigilant.'

The fall of the town of Konna had been a major blow to government forces but on Saturday, with the aid of French airstrikes, they took back the town from the rebels Sanda Abou Mohamed, spokesman for Islamist group Ansar Dine, told The Associated Press he could not confirm if his fighters were still in Konna.

'I cannot tell you if our fighters are still in the city of Konna or if they are not, because since yesterday afternoon I have not had contact with them as the telephone network has been down in this zone.'

Other West African nations authorised an immediate deployment of troops to join the offensive, which had previously been set to happen in September.



Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara signed an order on Friday to deploy some 3,300 regional troops under a U.N. mandated operation.

'By Monday by the latest, the troops will be there or will have started to arrive,' said Ali Coulibaly, the country's African Integration Minister.

'Things are accelerating ... The reconquest of the north has already begun.'

The bulk of the forces are expected to come from Nigeria, Niger, Senegal and Togo, led by Nigerian Major-General Shehu Abdulkadir.

Burkina Faso, which has tried to mediate talks with some of the Islamist groups, said on Saturday it would rapidly deploy 500 soldiers to Mali to support.