France ready for intervention in Mali Islamic Maghreb fighters have taken control in northern Mali France is willing to intervene and stop further advances by Islamist forces in Mali, following the African country's plea for urgent military assistance as its army struggles to stem the rebellion's move south. President François Hollande's comments on Friday - his strongest to date - underscore France's concern that northern Mali and the wider Sahel region are becoming an Afghanistan-like base for Islamist militants and a potential source of terrorist actions. European countries such as France itself, where there is a large Malian community, could be targeted - a situation that would be made much worse if the Malian state as a whole were to fall. At least seven French hostages are currently being held in the region by Islamist groups. "We are faced with a blatant aggression that is threatening Mali's very existence," Mr Hollande told reporters and diplomats in a speech. "We will be ready to stop the terrorists" offensive if it continues." He added that any help would be extended within the parameters of the UN. The Associated Press news agency quoted an unnamed French diplomat as saying that France was able to deploy military assets - notably air power - over Mali "very quickly." He insisted that Mr Hollande's speech was "not just words ... When you say that you are ready to intervene, you have to be."" France is understood to be on the verge of deploying drones in the region. Mali pressed for urgent assistance from France after al-Qaeda-linked militants captured the town of Konna in the centre of the country this week, which government forces are now trying to retake. The move by the militants marked the first clashes with government troops since the rebels took control of Mali's vast north in April last year, and raised fears that they may try to move further south towards the city of Mopti. In a clear indication of mounting activity by western powers, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French defence minister, told journalists in Paris that he had spoken to Leon Panetta, his US counterpart, by telephone on Friday about the situation in Mali and was due to speak to Philip Hammond and Thomas de Maizière, the UK and German defence ministers, later in the day. In an emergency session on Thursday night, the UN Security Council expressed "grave concern" at the rebels" advance, which saw them capture Konna, 375 miles northeast of the capital, Bamako. Its UN ambassador, Gérard Araud, said Mali's interim president, Dioncounda Traore, had requested urgent help from France on Thursday. Mali's army has a significant presence in Mopti, a city of roughly 100,000 people, which until this week was not considered under serious threat.