This effort gained renewed urgency after militants -- upset at Algeria for allowing warplanes to use its airspace to launch attacks in Mali -- took hostage scores of Algerian and foreign workers at an Algerian gas facility U.S. military plans to fly French troops to nations near Mali , an official says . France has been helping Mali 's government battle Islamist militants from its north . Several other nations have vowed support for Mali . TL;DR The United States is sending a small number of special operations forces and advisers to help the Malian army fight al Qaeda in northern Mali, according to two senior administration officials.
U.S. military plans to fly French troops to nations near Mali , an official says . France has been helping Mali 's government battle Islamist militants from its north . Several other nations have vowed support for Mali . TL;DR The United States is sending a small number of special operations forces and advisers to help the Malian army fight al Qaeda in northern Mali, according to two senior administration officials.