Africa: A Haven of Militants and Foreign Headaches

As the French troops are set for a major combat operations on the ground in Mali, Islamists were at it again in Algeria. 

A convoy of about 30 armoured vehicles set out on Tuesday for Diabaly, 350km (220 miles) to the north, a town captured by the rebels the day before.

The first units of an African force are set to arrive on Wednesday to bolster the French with Nigeria sending 190 soldiers. The Islamists entered Diabaly on Monday, taking the town from Malian forces. French war planes have since attacked the rebel positions.

As France is getting set, Islamist militants seized five Japanese nationals and a French citizen from an oil facility in Ain Amenas in southern Algeria on Wednesday, local and diplomatic sources told Reuters.

The foreigners were taken from the facility in the morning, they said. There was no immediate confirmation of the abduction from Algerian officials.

French foreign ministry officials said they had no immediate comment on the hostage report and were still trying to verify the information.

With the setback in Somalia and the heavy firepower of the Islamists in Mali, France remained resolute. Residents in Mali greeted the French contigents with joy, waving at the soldiers with passionate optimism. The heavy strikes at rebel positions paved the way for the coming possible ground assaults.

The BBC  correspondent in Mali says France and the Malian army need to take the towns of Konna and Diabaly to advance their campaigns.