UNITED NATIONS – France has circulated a draft U.N. resolution backing an international military force to assist Mali's army in ousting Islamic militants who seized the northern half of the country and are turning it into a terrorist hub.
The draft, obtained Tuesday by the Associated Press, gives U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon 30 days to submit "detailed and actionable recommendations" to recover the occupied territory.
It says the U.N. chief should build on the existing joint planning efforts of the West African regional group ECOWAS and the African Union and immediately provide U.N. military planners to assist the two organizations in helping to prepare his report. It says he should also consult with Mali's neighbors, international organizations and other interested parties.
Mali's democratic government was ousted in a military coup in March.
Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world.