Mali: Reino Unido apoia a intervenção francesa

An RAF C-17 cargo plane is set to leave the UK on Sunday to help French efforts to contain rebels in Mali, Ministry of Defence sources say. The first of two planes will leave RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire later and load up with equipment in Paris before flying to Mali on Monday. France has attacked militants in Mali to support the Malian government in recent days. Downing Street said no UK troops would be deployed in a combat role. The Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds, indicated British personnel could play a role in training the Malian army through the European Union. He said the UK was providing "only very limited strategic tactical support" in the form of the two C-17 transport planes, in response to a French request. "There are no plans to extend the UK's military at the moment," Mr Simmonds told the BBC News Channel. Justifying the government's decision to help, he told Sky News there was a "thoroughly unpleasant regime" in the north of the country with "raping and sexual violence taking place" and children being forced into the military. BBC