Faced with the progressive establishment of an Islamist haven in northern Mali, the possibility of military intervention is taking shape. On 12 October, the Security Council of the United Nations adopted a resolution calling on the Economic Community of West African States to prepare a military intervention to regain the north.

On November 6, a group of military experts, including Germans and French, presented their report. At least 4,000 men will be indispensable and "non-African troops" — i.e. European — could be deployed.

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