French troops retake the central Malian towns of Diabaly and Douentza after Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian declares that France's ultimate goal is the “total reconquest” of Mali.

Early Monday morning, French and Malian troops entered the frontline towns of Diabaly and Douentza to little or no resistance. Residents said that rebels occupying the towns had abandoned them on the eve of France's advance. In Douentza the advance was preceded by air strikes.

The recent push came amid news that militants were beginning to abandon their positions to regroup in the northern mountainous region of Kidal, 1,500 kilometers from the French and African forces’ arrival point in Bamako.

A French commander, identified only as ‘Colonel Frederic,’ warned that the conflict in Mali may continue for some time. Diabily had recently been subjected to French air strikes as it was a base for the majority of Malian rebels south of the towns of Mopti and Sevare. The “situation in the vicinity of Diabaly was confused for the moment,” Colonel Frederic said, adding that more information was needed to estimate the length of time it would take to resolve the conflict.

Despite the apparently easy victory, French troops in Diabaly and Douentza remain on alert – the extremists are adept at blending in with local populations. Additionally, explosives may remain at the scenes of previous fighting. 

“There are risks of mines and booby traps in houses, that is why we have to be careful,” Malian army Colonel Seydou Sogoba explained. Colonel Fredric reiterated the “risks of mines and booby traps in houses.”

On Sunday, 400 troops from Nigeria, Togo and Benin had arrived in the southwestern town of Bamako, near the Guinean border. France has deployed 2,000 ground troops in the country, and has been conducting air strikes on militant bases over the last 10 days. French troops aim to reclaim the country from Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb-linked rebels, who have imposed Sharia law in northern Mali.

The news comes a day after France Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the goal of France's military action in the African country was to retake control of the entire country from Islamist militants, who have seized the north.

"The goal is the total reconquest of Mali. We will not leave any pockets [of resistance]," Le Drian told France 5 television on Sunday. Earlier, the French authorities said their operation in Mali would be just "a matter of weeks". 

According to unofficial accounts, over 100 militants have been killed since France began 'Operation Serval' in the west African country. Defense Minister Le Drian also said Sunday that he was not aware of any civilian casualties. 

Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, told Reuters on Monday that the European Union had proposed a February 5th meeting in Brussels to discuss the ongoing crisis in Mali. The conference will be organized alongside the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the UN.

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