French troops take back key Mali town from militants France responded by deploying troops to guard the bridge at Markala, while sending special forces across the river to help the Malian army to counter-attack. Early reports suggested that AQIM lost Diabaley Friday, although mopping up operations were said to be continuing. French troops have called in air strikes by Mirage and Rafale jets. Some 1,800 French troops are now in Mali, with the total force expected to reach 2,500. While AQIM's advance into southern Mali has been blocked and partially rolled back, the Islamists are still in control of the northern two-thirds of the country, including the cities of Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal. So far, France has prevented them from taking the rest of Mali, but its troops have not tried to break AQIM's dominance of the north. That task will probably fall to the Malian army and an African force comprised of 3,000 troops from neighbouring countries. When this new unit will be ready to take the offensive is unclear: many of its soldiers have not yet arrived and a European Union training mission will not deploy in Mali until next month. Many ordinary Malians want their country to be reunited as soon as possible. Fatoumata Maiga, 45, fled Diabaley shortly before it fell to the Islamists. My neighbour came and said 'don't you know about the fighting that is coming, you must get away from here'. She gathered her five sons and five daughters and fled to the town of Marikana, leaving all her possessions behind. Marikana now serves as the local hub for the French forces and the base for the counter-attack towards Diabaley.