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In pictures: Scenes from Mali

Meet a nation struggling for an ordinary life while caught amid war and international diplomacy.

A man watches as a local football team plays a match in the area of Badalabougou, in Bamako.
By George Henton
Published On 5 Feb 2013

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Bamako, Mali – Despite the constant reminders of an ongoing war in the North, daily life in Bamako and in many of Mali’s other major cities continues, for the most part, as normal.
 
Yet political turmoil and fears that recent military victories may be short-lived have ensured that the mood in the West African country remains cautious. While French and Malian forces have made rapid advances, the threat of a conventional war turning into a shadowy insurgency looms over the population.
 
Regardless, a recent visit by French President Francois Hollande, and a victory by the Malian football team to secure a semi-final spot in the Africa Cup of Nations, have lifted the mood greatly across the country. 
 
The following photos reflect a population caught in the middle of international diplomacy, war and everyday life.
A man plays boules in the gardens of the Cultural Palace in Bamako.
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Two young children play by the side of the River Niger as it runs through the middle of the Malian capital, Bamako.
A woman pauses underneath the Malian and French flags which are displayed side by side throughout Bamako.
A man sings at a crowded local bar in Bamako.
Two children pose at the port in the city of Mopti, the gateway to much of the North of the country.
A crowd of children forms at a small village outside of Sevare in central Mali.
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Children at a small village between the cities of Bamako and Segou peer through the window of a press vehicle.
A woman with her child sit in a crowded bus as they travel south, away from the violence of the North.
United States Air Force pilots prepare to depart from Bamako-Senou Airport in a C17 transport aircraft.
French soldiers stand guard near the entrance of a French military base at Bamako-Senou Airport.
A French Army resupply convoy travels north from Segou to Gao.
A Malian solider stands guard at Bamako-Senou airport as French President Francois Hollande was due to land.
A man shows his support for the French military intervention before a speech by French President Francois Hollande at the Place de L(***)independance in Bamako.
French President Francois Hollande speaks at the Place de L(***)independance in Bamako.
Jubilant crowds greet French President Francois Hollande at the Place de L(***)independance in Bamako.
Crowds celebrate at the Place de L(***)independance in Bamako after listening to a speech by French President Francois Hollande.
Exuberant crowds celebrate Mali(***)s victory over South Africa in the Quarter Finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.