France set to evacuate nationals

THROUGH its Embassy in Bamako, the French Government has directed the immediate evacuation of its citizens Segou, a battle field in Mali.

The order, which has been confirmed by an anonymous French national, resident in Segou,was given through an e-mail message.

The French citizen said the order came after the fall yesterday of the garrison town of Diabaly to the al-Qaida-linked rebels occupying Northern Mali.

Diabaly was seized by the extremists despite heavy bombardment by French special forces, bringing the militants to within 80 kilometres (about 49 miles) of the Southern Mali town of Segou and within 400 kilometres (about 248 miles) of the capital, Bamako.

French President Francois Hollande authorised the air strikes last week after the Islamists began their Southward push.