Malian and French Forces Continue Advance

Malian troops

Malian and French forces retook several towns, on Thursday and Friday, as they move towards Gao.

The two armies are working their way up the Niger River, with Malians on side and French on the other.

At each village and town they are cheered by residents who welcome them as liberators.

Al Qaeda's forces, which had conquered the region, over a year ago, are mostly abandoning towns, as the militaries approach.

Anywhere that they are seen, the French air force is harrying them, making it difficult for them to take a stand in any numbers.

While Mali is celebrating the victories, France has warned that this is only the beginning and that Al Qaeda troops will likely go guerrilla.

The combined forces are slowly being joined by troops from other African nations, increasing the internationalization of the fight.