France 24 reports that the French government plans to increase the number of troops on the ground in Mali to 2,500. Read France planning troop surge in Mali war.
The report also says France currently has 750 troops on the ground and 900 soldiers from Nigeria will arrive within a day.
The expected troop strength would be 2,500 French soldiers plus 3,300 from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), or about 5,800 in total.
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