The Islamists have controlled northern Mali since last April
For anyone under the illusion that the early impact of French air strikes presages a rapid defeat for jihadist fighters in northern Mali, the latest news is a reminder of awkward realities.The militant Islamists have seized control of the western town of Diabaly, just 150km from Segou and the country's economic heartland.
Officials in Paris were clearly not exaggerating when they said that without their intervention, the jihadist forces could have been in the capital, Bamako, within days.
And that would have been a strategic disaster for Mali above all, but also for West Africa as a whole, threatening the stability and democratic structures of the entire region.
FULL ARTICLE HERE: BBC News - France: How was it dragged into the Malian conflict?
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