A French Army Land Rover and pallets of rations are seen on Royal Air Force C17 cargo aircraft as prepares to leave for Bamako from Abidjan in the Ivory Coast

A French Army Land Rover and pallets of rations are seen on a Royal Air Force C17 cargo aircraft as it prepares to leave for Bamako in Mali from Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, January 16, 2013. The British Royal Air Force is lending logistical support to France as it sends forces to Mali. Help from NATO allies including Britain, the United States, Germany, Belgium, Canada and Denmark means the first African troops should start arriving in Mali within days and a 3,000-strong ECOWAS contingent could gather in the next few weeks. French ground troops and Malian army forces encircled Islamist fighters in the central Malian town of Diabaly on Wednesday, military sources said, as France prepared to launch its first ground assault on the rebels. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (IVORY COAST – Tags: MILITARY POLITICS)