UN to military intervention in Mali

The UN Security Council said it will consider a request from West African countries for military intervention in Mali to root out al-Qaida-linked Islamists who have seized control of the country's northern region.

The Economic Community of West African States, known as Ecowas, has planned the force for months but had been told by the Security Council that it had to wait for a formal request from Mali's interim government before submitting a proposal.