France troops have joined Mali troops to boost security as Islamist militants advance to the capital.France’s President Francois Hollande on Tuesday said 750 French troops have joined the Mali offensive adding that  their numbers will be  increased .

“For now, we have 750 men and the number will increase… so that as soon as possible we can leave the place to the African forces,” said Hollande during a visit to Peace Camp in Abu Dhabi, his country’s only military base in the region.

France intervened in the Mali conflict  on Friday with the aim of halting the Islamists’ advance south towards the capital.
The UN Security Council has  unanimously backed the intervention.The  Islamist rebels have controlled the north of the vast country since April 2012.

The military intervention has driven Islamists fighters from their strongholds in the north but the rebels Monday pushed farther into the government–held south, seizing the town of Diabali, 400 kilometers north of the capital.

By UP