Paratroopers from the French foreign legion have taken control of the north of Timbuktu. The French military says it has set up checkpoints on the outskirts of the city on access routes. Al Jazeera filmed this exclusive footage inside Timbuktu, showing fighters of the Ansar el-Din militia who have occupied the city for ten months vacating their bases. They have told Al Jazeera it is a tactical retreat to regroup and plan a later assault. Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland reports.