Mali conflict: West African troops to arrive 'in days'

Troops from a regional West African force will be in Mali within days to help a French intervention against Islamist rebels, Nigeria says.

The force's commander, Gen Shehu Abdulkadir, confirmed the move to the BBC as West African military commanders met in Mali's capital, Bamako.

France has almost 800 troops in Mali, and another 1,700 involved elsewhere.

It began its intervention last Friday with the aim of halting the Islamists' advance south.

Quoting diplomatic and military sources, BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy said French troops would take part in the second phase of the Mali operation, namely driving Islamists out of the main towns they occupied.

Most of the regional armies, apart from Niger, have no experience of the complex task to be carried out in sandy or mountainous conditions, he says.

The UN says some 144,500 Malian refugees have been registered in neighbouring countries since April 2012.

It also says that 30,000 people have been displaced as a direct result of conflict this month.

France's intervention has prompted concerns for the welfare of eight French hostages kidnapped in the area over the past two years.

President Hollande said on Tuesday that "those who have taken them captive should reflect. There's still time to return them to their families".