Africa forces’ role in Mali faces diverse snags

By Jamey Keaten

Published January 19, 2013 5:00am ET

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Africa forces’ role in Mali faces diverse snags — A resident of San in central Mali talks with a French soldier in his vehicle as French troops pass through en route to Sevare, Mali, Friday, Jan. 18, 2013. French forces encircled a key Malian town on Friday to stop radical Islamists from striking closer to the capital, a French official said. The move to surround Diabaly came as French and Malian authorities said they had retaken Konna, the central city whose capture prompted the French military intervention last week.(AP Photo/Harouna Traore) | Harouna Traore

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — West African nations that promised to send troops to fight al-Qaida in Mali are finding it’s a lot trickier than they’d hoped to actually get boots on the ground.

Political debates, fears that fleeing militants might scatter abroad, and logistics — even feeding the troops– have stalled plans to deploy against the nimble jihadists in Mali.

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