French and Malian troops advanced on the key Islamist stronghold of Gao on Friday after recapturing the northern town of Hombori, as the extremists struck back by bombing a strategic bridge.

The French-led assault against the radical Islamists controlling northern Mali entered its third week with a strong push into the vast semi-arid zone amid rising humanitarian concerns for people in the area facing a dire food crisis.

France is likely to deport Lebanese leftist militant George Abdallah soon after his case became a “burden” but it has warned Lebanese authorities against organizing an official welcoming ceremony for him, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported on Friday.

The newspaper quoted a high-ranking French source as saying that involved French cabinet ministers intend to approve his deportation soon.

Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji is scheduled to visit Paris this weekend to appeal for military aid and discuss ways to improve cooperation between the two countries, al-Joumhouria reported on Thursday.

The newspaper said that Qahwaji's official visit at the head of a delegation will include talks with top French military officials on measures to provide aid to the Lebanese army.

France on Wednesday branded British Prime Minister David Cameron's plan to hold an in-out referendum on its European Union membership as dangerous.

"It risks being dangerous for Britain itself because Britain outside of Europe, that will be difficult," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told France Info radio.

French air raids on the fabled Malian city of Timbuktu destroyed a mansion belonging to Libya's former strongman Moammar Gadhafi which was being used by Islamist radicals as their headquarters, officials said.

French planes bombed a major base of the al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) near Timbuktu, a French defense ministry official confirmed on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The last raids took place on Sunday night.

The U.S. military has started airlifting French troops and equipment into Mali to assist their operation against al-Qaida-linked Islamist rebels, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said Tuesday.

"At the request of the French government, we have begun flying equipment and personnel from France to Mali," an AFRICOM spokesman, Chuck Prichard, told Agence France Presse.

Japan plans to ease restrictions on American and French beef imports imposed due to concerns over mad cow disease, government officials and local media said Tuesday.

Japan, which was once the largest buyer of U.S. beef, halted imports after a case of mad cow disease was detected in an American herd in 2003. It now imports meat only from cattle aged under 20 months.

Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi told fellow Arab leaders meeting in Riyadh on Monday that he opposes French-led military action in Mali against Islamist rebels.

"We do not accept at all the military intervention in Mali because that will fuel conflict in the region," Morsi said at the opening of an economic summit in the Saudi capital.

Germany and France will seek to paper over tensions from the euro crisis which has propelled Berlin into Europe's driving seat when their leaders meet Monday to mark 50 years since a landmark treaty forged closer ties.

French President Francois Hollande arrived in a snow-bedecked Berlin, officials traveling with him said, and was first due to hold a brief meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel before the two launch into events to fete the Elysee Treaty.

The backing President Francois Hollande got at home for his military intervention in Mali was under increasing strain Monday as the opposition lamented that France was isolated and acting without clear objectives.

"The isolation of France is a major problem, it is the central question," said Jean-Francois Cope, the leader of the right-wing UMP party.