West Africa to Assemble Military Force to Fight Militants
- ‘A new terrorism’ is emerging, Mali defense minister says
- UN peacekeeping mission in Mali is world’s deadliest
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West African nations are preparing to set up a regional force to cope with increased Islamist attacks at their borders, Mali’s defense minister said.
Mali will provide 1,000 troops to the force that’s meant to number about 4,000 men, Defense Minister Tiena Coulibaly said on Friday. Mali and Niger will be the biggest contributors to the force, which will get soldiers from Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Chad, Coulibaly said in an interview in Ivory Coast’s commercial capital, Abidjan.