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| UN backs Mali intervention force | UN backs Mali intervention force |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UN Security Council has authorised an African-led military force to try to oust Islamists from northern Mali. | The UN Security Council has authorised an African-led military force to try to oust Islamists from northern Mali. |
| The council unanimously approved giving the force an initial one-year mandate. | The council unanimously approved giving the force an initial one-year mandate. |
| It said it should use "all necessary measures" to help Mali recover the north of the country from "terrorist, extremist and armed groups". | It said it should use "all necessary measures" to help Mali recover the north of the country from "terrorist, extremist and armed groups". |
| Armed groups, some linked to al-Qaeda, took control of northern Mali after a military coup in March and established a harsh form of Islamic law. | |
| The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) says it has 3,300 troops ready to go to Mali - although an operation is not expected to begin before September 2013. | |
| The resolution, drafted by France, was approved after weeks of talks with the US. It also authorises the EU and other UN members states to help rebuild Mali's security forces. | |
| Thousands of people fled northern Mali after the fighting earlier this year, many of them ending up in neighbouring Mauritania. | |
| A recent leaked UN report warned that about 400,000 more people could be made homeless if the military operation to oust the militants goes ahead. |