Malian army supported by French troops secure bridge crossing river Niger

SHOTLIST
1. Wide of French armoured vehicle moving along road between Markala and Niono
2. Mid of Malian army patrol bike between Markala and Niono
3. Wide of Malian army patrol truck on their way to Diabaly
4. Mid of machine gun at army position at the entrance of Marakala bridge
5. Various of checkpoint at Markala bridge on the road from Niono
6. Wide of soldier speaking to driver of bus from Niono at Markala bridge checkpoint
7. Mid of Malian soldier at Markala bridge cheick point
8. Tracking of soldier walking to motorbike stopped at checkpoint, checking motorcyclist's identification
9. Pan of people arriving at checkpoint on foot to soldiers guarding Markala bridge
10. Pan of travellers bound for Segou walking to bus waiting at checkpoint
11. Pan of French armoured vehicle crossing Markala bridge
STORYLINE
The Malian army, supported by the French military, have set up a checkpoint on a key strategic bridge in Markala in Mali, north of the capital Bamako.
On Wednesday, around 100 French Marines took over the bridge, which spans the wide and turbulent River Niger, located 30 kilometres (19 miles) north of Segou, on the road to Diabaly.
The river separates the southern area still firmly under government control, and the north where the rebels have taken over the main cities.
Any rebel convoy coming from Diabaly, located roughly 120 miles (200 kilometres) north of the river, would need to cross the bridge.
The bridge is also essential in moving Malian and French troops north to Niono and Diabaly.
Travellers crossing by bus are systematically stopped and searched by soldiers who have installed a checkpoint at the entrance of the bridge.
Fighting raged in one Mali town, airstrikes hit another and army troops raced to protect a third, on the seventh day of the French-led military intervention to wrest back Mali's north from al Qaida-linked groups.
France has stepped up its involvement every day, after launching the first air raids last Friday in an effort to stop the rebels' advance, then only as far as the town of Konna, located 430 miles (690 kilometres) from the capital.
Fighting erupted anew on Thursday in Konna between Islamists and Malian soldiers in the city whose capture by the militants first prompted French military intervention, while French forces kept up their bombardments of Diabaly, fleeing residents and officials said.
Meanwhile, France has increased its troops' strength in Mali to 1,400, said French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
France is planning to deploy a total of 2,500 soldiers, more than half of what it had deployed to Afghanistan at the height of their involvement. Many of the armoured vehicles being used here were previously used in Afghanistan.



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