Mali soldiers battle Islamist militants Nigerian troops pose for a photo before their departure to join the African-led mission to Mali Malian soldiers clashed with Islamist militants and French jets bombed rebel positions on Thursday, as European foreign ministers agreed to accelerate a training mission for the west African country's army. Fighting was reported in Konna, the central town that was seized by the al-Qaeda-linked rebels on January 10, prompting Mali's call for urgent military intervention by France. Further west, French aircraft struck the town of Diabaly, where rebels have mixed in with the local population since ejecting government soldiers on Monday. Malian troops were also sent to Banamba, some 90 miles from the capital, after a reported sighting of jihadists there. France said this week that its troops would be involved in ground combat, but it remains unclear whether that has happened yet. Jean-Yves Le Drian, defence minister, said on Thursday that 1,400 French troops were now in Mali, and more combat helicopters had been deployed. A further 1,100 soldiers are due to arrive soon. "The actions of French forces, be it air forces or ground forces, are ongoing," Mr Le Drian said. They took place yesterday, they took place last night, they took place today, they will take place tomorrow. In Brussels, EU foreign ministers agreed to accelerate a training mission for the weak Malian army in the hope that its soldiers can eventually help to push Islamist rebels from the northern part of the country. The €12.3m mission will involve about 200 instructors from EU member states and another 250 troops to protect them and offer support. They will not engage in combat. The mission will start by mid-February. Before then, Malian forces are due to be assisted by several thousand troops from various African countries who are being sent to Mali on a bilateral basis. The first African troops - a contingent of about 100 Togolese soldiers - arrived on Thursday, Reuters reported. They were due to be joined later on Thursday by Nigerian forces. Niger said it was ready to deploy troops along its border with Mali. On Wednesday, Chad pledged to send 2,000 soldiers. It is not clear when they will arrive. Although Chad is outside the west African regional bloc Ecowas, which before the French intervention had been assembling a regional force that was due to deploy to Mali in September, its contribution may be vital. Unlike troops from some countries in west Africa, Chadian soldiers are used to fighting in desert conditions similar to those found in northern Mali. "Troops from countries like Togo, Burkina Faso and Benin might not have the necessary experience to go straight to the front lines for this kind of war," said David Zounmenou, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, in South Africa. But Chadian forces do, and Nigeria might also have some specialist troops that are ready. In return for the military training, the EU has demanded that Mali's government present a clear road map for free elections and the restoration of democracy - something that Mali's foreign minister, who attended Thursday's meeting, promised would be sent to parliament in the coming days. Military officers staged a coup last March that hastened the fall of the north to the rebels, who began an insurgency in January 2012. Though Mali has an interim government, the coup leaders still wield significant power. European diplomats say the organisation and morale of the Malian forces were damaged by last year's coup and its aftermath. But they also pointed to some effective elements among its eight battalions - half of which will receive training. The sudden outbreak of combat this week called into question the training plan that had been developed for Mali during a period of relative calm. Some EU military officials had expressed doubts about the timing and location of the training. Although France has been in the vanguard in Mali, its former colony, EU officials have been keen to stress the importance to the entire bloc of stabilising the country. Allowing Islamist terrorist groups to take root in the Sahel could not only affect neighbouring countries, they have warned, but also pose a direct threat to the EU itself. Additional reporting by Joshua Chaffin in Brussels