Mali and France initiated "Islamists

Mali and France “Islamists launched

11th January 2013 forum-indonesia.com BBC report at 20:04 clock ET

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President Hollande: “This process will take as long as necessary”

government troops in Mali say they area by Islamic militants after air raids by the French military regained.

Malian officials said they back the strategic central city of Konna, the rebels only a day earlier taken backed as they pushed south. Announced

The news came hours after French military operations in support of the Malian army had begun.

Armed groups, some in connection with al-Qaeda, took over the control of northern Mali in April.

The Islamists are trying to impose an extreme interpretation of Islamic law in the area.

Regional and Western governments have growing concern about the security situation threat from extremists and organized crime to express.

‘Crushing retaliation “

announcement France’s military intervention, French President Francois Hollande said Islamists had tried, in a” terrorist “state.

Mali

​​He said the engagement with international law was respected and agreed with Mali’s interim president Dioncounda Traore. It would take “as long as necessary,” he added.

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Hugh Schofield BBC News, Paris

the rhetoric from Paris suggest that from the French point of view, the situation in Mali has a dramatic turn for the worse in the last few days. foreign minister Laurent Fabius said it was important to stop this new advance of Islamists.

So it seems that a country that has a growing, but still peripheral employment for France – and the West in general -.

is now at the center of their strategic plans

There is a real fear that if the “terrorists” – as the French government calls them -. success in adopting Mali, then it will become a rogue state much like the old Afghanistan

Given the ties of family and trade in France it would be France, to pay the costs if the rogue began to export its ideology. This drawn a line in the Sahel sand. For good or bad, it can also turn out was have a momentous decision.

French officials gave some operational details. When asked whether it was French air attacks, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius confirmed that it had “an aerial view mode.”

Mr. Traore said the state of emergency in Mali, which he said would be room for an initial period stay of 10 days.

He used a televised address to Malians call to unite and “free every inch” of the country.

“Our choice is peace … but they have forced us to war, “he said.” We carry a breaking and massive retaliation against our enemies. “

“Konna is under our control that night, but we are still conducting purges”

said Lt. Col Diarra Kone, although he cautioned that some rebels might still be in the city.

The British government expressed its support for the French operation. U.S. officials said Washington was considering, intelligence and logistical support to French forces.

‘Crusader intervention

“The West African bloc Ecowas said it was authorizing the immediate deployment of troops “to help defend the Malian army, its territorial integrity” in Mali, AFP reported.

The UN had sent earlier plans for some 3,000 African troops to Mali to retake the north, approved if no political solution could be found, but that the intervention was not expected to happen until September.

Mr. Fabius said the aim of the operation was to stop Islamic militants continue to promote.

It was not clear how far the French would help Mali government to recapture territory in the north.

At least seven French hostages go

are currently being held in the region, and Mr Fabius said France would “do everything” to save it.

A spokesman for al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said he as the French operation, a “Crusader intervention”, and told France that it would “would dig the graves of [his] sons” when operation continues after the Mauritania-based Sahara Media website.

France Mali ruled as a colony until 1960.