News on Top France action in Mali is real war, says Le Drian

People displaced by militant rebels are "trickling back" towards Timbuktu

French forces are embroiled in a "real war" with "terrorists" around the Malian town of Gao, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said.

Islamist militants were swept from Gao last month, but Mr Le Drian said clashes were continuing in the area.
French forces were deployed nearly a month ago to combat al-Qaeda-linked militants who had taken over Mali's desert northern regions.
Paris says it wants to begin pulling out its 4,000 troops in March.
The Mali militants have been routed and cleared from most of the population centres.
But clashes are continuing away from the towns.
"When you leave the centre of captured cities, you meet jihadis left behind," Mr Le Drian told France's Europe 1 Radio.
He said Islamist fighters had used rockets in battles with the French and Malian troops on Tuesday.