Paris, Jumada I 28, 1434, Apr 9, 2013, SPA - France has begun withdrawing troops from Mali, the military said Tuesday, confirming that a first group of around 100 soldiers left the country at the end of March. "Around 100 troops were redeployed from Tessalit (in the north-east) to Abidjan (Ivory Coast) about a week ago," military spokesman Colonel Thierry Burkhard told DPA. From a French base in Ivory Coast they had been transferred to a base in Cyprus, he said. The defence ministry's website said the redeployment took place "at the end of March", which is earlier than previously announced. --SPA 13:23 LOCAL TIME 10:23 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1096465