France delivers Puma helicopters and other military equipment in Mali.<br/> <br />The reinforcements arrived Thursday to aid the international campaign against Islamist rebels.<br/> <br />French forces have carried out dozens of air strikes since the intervention began last week at the request of Mali's interim president.<br/> <br />The UK, Canada and Belgium have also sent supply aircraft and several West African nations have sent ground troops to halt rebel advances.<br/> <br />The al Qaeda-linked militants recently released footage of their activities in their northern strongholds.<br/> <br />The military operation to root them out is expected to displace hundreds of thousands, in addition to the 400,000 who have fled since rebellion erupted last year.
