DIABALY, Mali (Reuters) – French and Malian armoured columns rolled into the central Mali town of Diabaly on Monday after the al Qaeda-linked Islamist rebels who seized it a week ago melted into the bush to avoid air strikes.

Diabaly, 350 km (220 miles) north of Mali’s dusty riverside capital Bamako, had harboured the main cluster of insurgents south of the frontline towns of Mopti and Sevare.

NIONO, Mali (Reuters) – French troops advanced cautiously toward northern Mali on Sunday amid fears of ambush by al Qaeda-linked fighters, while its fighter jets pounded the Islamists’ strongholds in the desert near Timbuktu.

In the central Malian town of Diabaly, seized by Islamist fighters on Monday, the wreckage of the Islamists’ charred pick-up trucks lay abandoned among the mud-brick buildings, television images showed.

NIONO, Mali (Reuters) – French troops in armored vehicles advanced on Sunday towards a central Malian town abandoned by Islamist rebels after days of air strikes, moving cautiously for fear of guerrilla-style counterattacks by the al Qaeda-linked fighters.

Television showed the wreckage of the Islamists’ white pick-up trucks, some mounted with heavy machine guns, lying charred and twisted among the mud-brick buildings of the village of Diabaly.

ABIDJAN/NIONO, Mali (Reuters) – France and West African leaders called on Saturday on other world powers to commit money and logistical support for African armies readying their troops to join French soldiers already battling al Qaeda-linked militants in Mali.

The appeal came as African leaders met in Ivory Coast to hammer out details of a regional mission that is due to take over from French forces but is dispatching soldiers while still short of financing, planning and even ammunition.

SARAKALA, Mali (Reuters) – Early this week, Koura Coulibaly was ready to pack her bags and abandon Sarakala, a small village in central Mali.

Three days into an offensive by French war planes and attack helicopters, Islamist rebels launched a dramatic counter-attack, seizing the town of Diabaly town from Mali’s army, about 100 km (60 miles) away.

ABIDJAN/NIONO, Mali (Reuters) – France called on Saturday on other world powers to commit money and logistical support for African armies readying their troops to join French soldiers already battling al Qaeda-linked militants in Mali.

The appeal came as African leaders met in Ivory Coast where they are expected to agree details of a regional mission that is due to take over from French forces but is short on financing, planning and even ammunition.

BAMAKO/MARKALA, Mali, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Islamist rebels in
Mali abandoned the central town of Diabaly on Friday after
fleeing a French air strike, military sources said, while West
African troops arrived in Bamako to take on the insurgents in
Mali’s north.

France, warning that Islamist control over Mali’s vast
deserts and rugged mountains threatened the security of Africa
and the West, had targeted Diabaly in an eighth day of air
strikes to dislodge hardened al Qaeda-linked fighters there.

BAMAKO/MARKALA, Mali, Jan 18 (Reuters) – French and Malian
soldiers wrested control of the central town of Diabaly from
Islamist rebels on Friday, its mayor said, and West African
reinforcements arrived in Bamako to take on the insurgents
dominating the north of Mali.

France, warning that Islamist control over Mali’s vast
desert north threatens the security of Africa and the West, had
targeted Diabaly in an eighth day of air strikes aimed at
dislodging hardened al Qaeda-linked fighters there.

BAMAKO/SEGOU, Mali (Reuters) – The first West African regional forces arrived in Mali on Thursday to reinforce French and Malian troops battling to push back al Qaeda-linked rebels after seven days of French air strikes.

A contingent of around 100 Togolese troops landed in Bamako and was due to be joined by Nigerian forces already en route. Nigerien and Chadian forces were massing in Niger, Mali’s neighbor to the east.

BAMAKO, Jan 17 (Reuters) – French troops surrounded the
Malian town of Diabaly on Thursday, keeping Islamists rebels who
had seized it three days ago bottled up while a West African
military force took shape.

The French held back from launching a full-out assault on
the town as the Al Qaeda linked rebels had taken refuge in the
homes of civilians.