Fight continues in Mali

08Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/R.Nicolas-Nelson, ECPAD

French Mirage 2000 D aircraft flying to N'Djamena after taking off from the French military base of Nancy. The battle to retake Mali's north from the al-Qaida-linked groups controlling it began in earnest on Jan. 12, 2013, after hundreds of French forces deployed to the country and began aerial bombardments to drive back the Islamic extremists from a town seized earlier this week.

09Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Laure-Anne Maucorps, ECPAD

French Rafale jetfighter being prepared before heading to Mali from the Saint Dizier airbase, eastern France on Jan.14, 2013. French fighter jets bombed rebel targets in a major city in Mali's north on Jan. 13, pounding the airport as well as training camps, warehouses and buildings used by the al-Qaida-linked Islamists controlling the area, officials and residents said.

12Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Laure-Anne Maucorps, ECPAD

French soldiers of the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment during a briefing before boarding to Bamako, the capital from Mali, at the N'Djamena's airport, in Chad, Jan. 11, 2013.

07Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Laure-Anne Maucorps, ECPAD

Soldiers preparing a French Rafale jetfighter from the Saint Dizier airbase, eastern France on Jan. 14, 2013.

02Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

A camerawoman films the arrival of a French transport plane at Bamako's airport Jan. 15, 2013.

05Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

French troops gather in a hangar at Bamako's airport Jan. 15, 2013.

03Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

French troops gather in a hangar at Bamako's airport on Jan. 15, 2013.

04Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

Malian soldiers, foreground and rear, helped by French troops, push a broken helicopter out a hangar to make room for more incoming troops at Bamako's airport on Jan. 15, 2013.

10Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

French troops check their equipment as the gather in a hangar at Bamako's airport on Jan. 15, 2013.

13Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/ R.Nicolas-Nelson, Ecpad

French fighter pilot getting ready to take off with a Mirage 2000 D, at Kossei camp in N'Djamena, Chad, Jan. 11, 2013.

15Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/ R.Nicolas-Nelson, Ecpad

French soldiers of the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment boarding to Bamako, the capital from Mali, at the N'Djamena's airport, in Chad, Jan. 11, 2013.

14Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/SAC Dek Taylor, MOD

A French military armoured vehicle is unloaded from a British C17, plane after it landed at Bamako airport, Mali in support early Jan. 15, 2013.

16Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

Malian soldiers helped by French troops, move a broken helicopter out a hangar to make room for more incoming troops at Bamako's airport, Jan. 15, 2013.

19Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

French troops gather in a hangar at Bamako's airport, Jan. 15, 2013.

21Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/SAC Dek Taylor, MOD

A French military armoured vehicle is unloaded from a British C17, plane after it landed at Bamako airport, Mali early Jan. 15, 2013.

20Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

Two French fighter jets are seen at Bamako's airport, Jan. 15, 2013.

06Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Michel Euler

British military personnel gathered next to a French army truck inside a British C17 transport plane at an army base in Evreux, 56 miles north of Paris, Jan. 14, 2013.

01Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Michel Euler

A French airman, center, talks to British military personnel prior to the take off a British C17 transport plane enroute to Mali at the French army base in Evreux, 56 miles north of Paris, Jan. 14, 2013.

11Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Michel Euler

A British military personnel fix a French army medical armoured personnel carrier inside a British C17 transport plane prior to take off at army base in Evreux, 56 miles north of Paris, Jan. 14, 2013.

22Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

French troops gather in a hangar at Bamako's airport, Jan. 15, 2013.

24Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/ R.Nicolas-Nelson, Ecpad

A French Mirage 2000 D aircraft refueling while flying to N'Djamena overnight, Jan. 11, 2013, after taking off from the French military base of Nancy.

25Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

French troops gather in a hangar at Bamako's airport, Jan. 15, 2013.

18Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Michel Euler

British military personnel protect their ears as a British C17 transport plane lands at the French army base, in Evreux, 56 miles north of Paris, Jan. 14, 2013.

17Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Michel Euler

A British pilot stands between a French army truck and a medical armored personnel carrier inside a British C17 transport plane prior to take off at the army base in Evreux, 56 miles north of Paris, Jan. 14, 2013.

23Mali:France_Fighting.jpg — AP Photo/Michel Euler

JMSO SO1 team leader Lt. Colonel Andy Gardiner, left, speaks to the media as he arrives in a British transporter (background) at the French army base in Evreux, 56 miles north of Paris, Jan. 14, 2013.

A convoy of French soldiers drove toward the town of Diably in Mali with Malians cheering them on.

mali, france, troops, Diabaly — AP Photo/Jerome Delay

A French soldier secures a perimeter on the outskirts of Diabaly, Mali, some 320 miles north of the capital Bamako Monday Jan. 21, 2013.

mali, france, troops — ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images

Malian people wave to French soldiers as a convoy of armored vehicles leave Bamako and start a deployment to the north of Mali as part of the 'Serval' operations on January 15, 2013.

French soldiers on a Sagaie tank destroyer leave Bamako and start their deployment to the north of Mali, Jan. 15, 2013.

Malian soldiers helped by French troops move a broken helicopter out of a hangar to make room for more incoming troops at the airport in Bamako, Mali, Jan. 15. 2013.

Malians soldiers arriving at Gao airport, north of Mali, Jan. 26, 2013.

A Chad soldier for the African-led international support mission to Mali has boarded an aircraft in N'Djamena, Chad, bound for Bamako, the capital of Mali, Jan. 24, 2013.

Malian soldiers man a checkpoint on the Gao road outside Sevare, some 385 miles north of Mali's capital Bamako, Jan. 27, 2013.

Travelers arrive in the Malian town of Konna, some 430 miles north of Mali's capital Bamako, Jan. 26, 2013. One wing of Mali's Ansar Dine rebel group has split off to create its own movement, saying that they want to negotiate a solution to the crisis in Mali, in a declaration that indicates at least some of the members of the al-Qaida linked group are searching for a way out of the extremist movement in the wake of French air strikes.

A Malian army armored vehicle used by Islamist rebels stands charred in the town of Konna, some 430 miles north of Mali's capital Bamako, Jan. 26, 2013.

Chad soldiers for the African-led international support mission to Mali wait to board an aircraft in N'Djamena, Chad, bound for Bamako, the capital of Mali on Jan. 24, 2013.

A motorcycle stands charred in Konna, some 430 miles north of Mali's capital Bamako, Jan. 26, 2013.

Chad soldiers for the African-led international support mission to Mali boards an aircraft in N'Djamena, Chad, bound for Bamako, the capital of Mali, Jan. 24, 2013.

A Malian soldier gestures at journalists to leave the area of a French air strike on Jan. 26, 2013.

A Malian soldier gestures at journalists to leave the area of a French air strike in the town of Konna, 430 miles north of Mali's capital Bamako, Jan. 26, 2013.

Chadian soldiers securing Gao airport, north of Mali, Jan. 26, 2013.

A Chadian soldier securing Gao airport, north of Mali, Jan. 26, 2013.

Malian soldiers boarding a French Transall military plane in Bamako, Mali, Jan. 26, 2013.

Bullets lay on the ground of a destroyed base used by Islamist rebels in the town of Konna, some 430 miles north of Mali's capital Bamako, Jan. 26, 2013.

A Malian army vehicle used by Islamist rebels stands charred in the town of Konna, some 430 miles north of Mali's capital Bamako, Jan. 26, 2013.

A videographer films Malian soldiers walking through the rubbles of a former army based leveled during fighting with Islamist rebels in the town of Konna, some 430 miles north of Mali's capital Bamako, Jan. 26, 2013.

Malians soldiers arriving at Gao airport, north of Mali, Jan. 26, 2013.