LUXEMBOURG — EU foreign ministers are considering having the bloc launch a non-combat training mission to the troubled West African nation of Mali. The purpose would be to support the Malian government as it attempts to reassert authority over the country's north, where Islamists have seized control. The area, the ministers say in a statement, has become a sanctuary for terrorist groups, and is plagued by oppression and violations of human rights.
The mission would involve helping to train and reorganize the Malian defense forces, and would be conducted in cooperation with the UN, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. It should include an exit strategy, the ministers said at a meeting Monday in Luxembourg. — AP
