The renewed fighting came as African leaders put the finishing touches to an international intervention plan to retake Mali's north from a patchwork of armed groups who the West suspects of providing a platform for militant attacks. The MNLA declared an independent Tuareg homeland in April after routing government troops in the wake of a March coup, but it has since lost control of the zone to Islamists and criminal networks. African leaders will this month seek a U.N. mandate to dispatch a mainly West African force of some 4,000 to Mali tasked with rebuilding its army and then backing operations to win back the occupied desert zones. EU foreign ministers gave basic approval on Monday to send 250 military trainers to help build Malian soldiers up to operational capacity. But, like the United States and former colonial power France, which is the keenest of Western nations for military action, Brussels has ruled out a combat role. European leaders are growing increasingly anxious that Mali could turn into a platform for militant attacks - even in Europe. France, Spain, Italy and Belgium have indicated willingness to take part in the mission, an EU official said. Britain and Germany might also participate, though this would depend on finding sufficient French-speaking personnel, diplomats said. Finland and Canada - a non-EU country - have also registered interest, the EU official said. Foreign ministers asked for the plan to be formally agreed at an EU summit on December 13-14, a statement said. The international military operation is due to be led by Mali's own military but will not be ready until sometime next year. West African mediator Burkina Faso has also been holding talks with MNLA representatives and members of Ansar Dine, another al Qaeda-linked Islamist group occupying parts of Mali's north, as it seeks to open dialogue with some of the rebels. Additional reporting by Richard Valdmanis in Dakar, Sebastian Moffett and Adrian Croft in Brussels; Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Alison Williams