From Reuters:  The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved on Thursday the creation of a 12,600-strong peacekeeping force in Mali starting July 1, which will be supported by French troops if needed to combat Islamist extremist threats in the West African country.

France, aided by some 2,000 troops from Chad, began a military offensive in January to drive out Islamist fighters, who had hijacked a revolt by Mali’s Tuareg rebels and seized two-thirds of Mali.

The U.N. peacekeeping force – to be known as MINUSMA – will assume authority from a U.N.-backed African force deployed there to take over from the French. Most of the African force, known as AFISMA, are likely to become peacekeepers, diplomats say.

The U.N. peacekeeping force in Mali will be the third largest, behind deployments in Democratic Republic of Congo and Darfur in Sudan, and cost up to $800 million annually, U.N. officials say.   (photo: CNN)

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