France announces big deployment cuts in Mali
French defence minister says France will reduce the number of deployed soldiers by 60% over the next three months
French troops were deployed to out insurgent Islamist militants
France is set to reduce the number of its soldiers deployed in rebel-troubled Mali by 60% over the next three months, the French defence minister said.
Alongside Malian forces, French troops were deployed in January to drive back Islamist militants from a strategic central down, halting an advance by insurgents controlling the country's north.
The attempted coup saw al-Qaeda linked rebels capture the northern town of Konna, a gateway towards the capital, Banako. The capture saw the rebels impose strict Sharia Islamic Law in northern Mali.
The insurgents had caused panic among residents and widespread clashes between the army and the rebels left dozens dead.
"A force of 1,000 would be left in place as we want to ensure that we remain by the side of the Malian army, and also Minusma, for as long as it takes," Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said while visiting Mali.
A UN force in Mali, Minusma, was due to number 12,000 by now - but is still less than half of that.
At the height of the crisis, France had a force of about 4,500 in its former colony.
In July, France handed over responsibility for security to Minusma - which has incorporated West African troops who backed the French offensive.
But France's timetable to withdraw most of its forces by the end of the year has slipped.
The 1,000 French soldiers left in Mali are intended to help fight the al-Qaeda-linked groups still targeting the vast desert northern region.
Meanwhile, on Monday, UN peacekeepers found a large cache of explosives while on patrol near the northern town of Kidal. A UN spokesman said the quantity of explosives found could have been used to make between 20 to 25 car bombs.
