PARIS (Reuters) – Niger’s President Mahamadou Issofou said on Thursday his country had information that Afghan and Pakistani jihadists were training recruits for Islamist groups in northern Mali.
“We have information of the presence of Afghans, Pakistanis in northern Mali operating as trainers,” Issofou told France 24. “They are training those that have been recruited in West Africa.”
He urged the United Nations Security Council to approve a resolution allowing the use of force to restore Mali’s territorial integrity if peace talks failed and added: “A resolution must be passed so that if negotiations fail there is a military intervention.”
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