US, Britain Helping in French Attack on Mali

US Offers to Send Drones to Mali

by Jason Ditz, January 13, 2013

As France continues to expand its new war in Mali, the US and British governments are providing a growing amount of aid for the offensive, with Britain having already deployed warplanes into the country.

Exactly what either nation has deployed is unclear, but French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius saying the US was providing “communications and transport” aid so far, and that Britain had offered to send additional transport aircraft.

The US has also reported that it has offered to deploy surveillance drones into Mali as a way to track the movements of the rebel forces France intends to attack. No word yet on if this offer has been accepted.

France has deployed some 400 ground troops into Mali, along with a large number of attack aircraft. They have announced that Senegal and Niger have each pledged 500 additional troops.

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