UN SG Ban Calls for Peace Operation in Mali

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has issued a statement in support of an offensive peace enforcing operation in Mali.

Ban said that the operation, to be allowed by the UN's Security Council, would be implemented by the African Union.

It would counteract Islamic militants who have occupied vast parts of the north of Mali.

Ban has however vowed no UN financial support for Mali and used careful wording, which is interpreted as indication about the uncertainty in the upcoming Security Council vote.

UN's last peace building and enforcement mission was the mission in Somalia in the early 1990s.