UN agrees Mali peace-keeping force

The United Nations (UN) Security Council has agreed to a French proposal of a12,600-member peace-keeping force in Mali that will be authorised "to use all necessary means" to protect civilians and cultural artefacts. The Force will be in post for 12 months.

The peacekeeping force - known as the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali - will take over on July 1 and include some 6,000 troops from Chad and other West African nations already providing security in the country, according to the resolution adopted by the Security Council.

France earlier deployed about 4,000 troops to Mali in January to drive out al Qaeda-linked Islamist militants who attempted to take control of the country.

The militants carved out a large portion of northern Mali last year, taking advantage of a chaotic situation after a military coup in March 2012.

The militants banned music, smoking, drinking and watching sports on television, and destroyed historic tombs and shrines in the region. World leaders feared that militants would turn the area into a terrorist haven.

France took military action after the militants began to push into the southern part of Mali.

The Security Council expects that the mission will help Malian authorities restore constitutional order and governance - with elections planned for July.