(15 Jan 2013)
1. Mid of French soldier climbing off armoured personnel carrier (APC)
2. Mid of Mali soldiers blocking road ahead of French convoy departing
3. Various of Malian soldiers with mounted gun on back of vehicle
4. Various of French armoured personnel carriers leaving Bamako military air base on road leading towards city of Segou
5. Tracking shot from moving vehicle of armoured personnel carrier overtaking on road
6. Close-up of French soldiers on back of armoured personnel carrier
7. Tracking shot of motorcyclist giving 'thumbs up' sign towards soldiers
8. Mid of rear of armoured personnel carrier from moving vehicle
9. Tracking shot of motorcyclists behind moving armoured personnel carrier
10. Tracking shot of advertising board and people at side of road
11. Tracking shot of men on motorcycle
12. Tracking shot from moving vehicle of rear of armoured personnel carrier on road towards Segou
STORYLINE:
French troops deployed to Mali headed towards front-line areas on Tuesday, as efforts continued to stop the advance of al-Qaida-linked fighters.
Two armoured personnel carriers were seen leaving Bamako military base and heading in a northerly direction.
France said on Tuesday that it is tripling the number of troops being sent to Mali, strongly suggesting that its forces are preparing for a land assault to dislodge the extremists.
The move reverses months of rhetoric in which France had said they would provide aerial and logistical support for a military intervention, but insisted it would need to be led by African troops.
Last week France plunged headfirst into the conflict, authorising air strikes after the extremists launched an aggressive push southward.
Despite pounding the north of the landlocked country with 250-kilogram (550-pound) bombs for the past five days, the rebels have extended their reach, taking over a town and its strategically important military camp in the central Malian town of Diabaly on Monday.
A French Defence Ministry official, who could not be named because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, said that France was increasing the number of soldiers in Mali from 800 to 2,500.
The military chiefs of the nations neighbouring Mali met in Bamako on Tuesday, but none of the thousands of troops pledged by these countries have yet arrived in the country, and it has become increasingly apparent that France will be leading the attack and not playing a supporting role.
Over the weekend, the rebels made their way to the rice-growing region, just north of the main city in central Mali, Segou.
The rebels cut across in a knifing movement, first cutting in through the road connecting Diabaly, home to a population of 35,000, and Niono, the last town before Segou.
France ordered the evacuation of the roughly 60 French citizens living in the area of Segou.
The area around Diabaly was reportedly pounded with bombs all night from Monday, resuming again on Tuesday afternoon.
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