As French and regional forces continue to pour into Mali and join the conflict, the Mali military has reported that they have stopped the southern advance of insurgents.

The military in that country has encountered heavier than expected resistance from the insurgent forces in the north, but have claimed a victory, saying that they have re-taken the central towns of Konni and Diabaly after heavy fighting. That town was taken over by militant forces last week. Malian military says that they inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents there.

The French officials reported heavy fighting in the town of Diabaly before that town was secured. That town was taken over by rebels last week as well. The French have been pounding that town with airstrikes since Monday. It is reported that as many as 1,400 French troops are on the ground in Mali and another 1,100 will be in-country within days.

2,000 more troops from a United Nations authorized force are expected from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Togo very soon. The U.S. is aiding France with intelligence and airlift, while Italy is promising logistical support and Germany, Belgium and Canada have also pledged transport planes for the French operation.

The U.N. Refugee Agency is expecting as many as 400,000 Mali refugees to flow out of the country fleeing the conflict. The agency expects another 300,000 to be displaced internally in the country as civilians flow out of the northern regions to the reletive safety of the south part of the country. Almost 400,000 have fled the country already in the past year, 150,000 of those since the current conflict erupted.

Refugees coming into the southern part of the country are reporting that the rebels have been recruiting children for their forces, paying up to $700 to families for their children. Many of the families turn over their children on religious grounds as well.

Human Rights experts have reported that the executions and other atrocities such as rape have already commenced and intensified in Mali. It is reported that the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad had executed 94 soldiers of a group of 153 that it had captured. The group has initiated harsh and strict Shariah Law in the regions that it now has control over. Smoking, drinking, watching sports on TV have all been banned.

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