Mauritania to Send 1,800 troops to Mali

Will be part of U.N. peacekeeping force

PARIS — Mauritania will send 1,800 troops to Mali as part of a planned U.N. force to keep the peace in the West African nation after a French-led offensive that has ousted Islamist rebels from the desert north, France's foreign minister said on Thursday.

Laurent Fabius said a U.N. Security Council resolution to approve the creation of a 12,600-strong U.N. peacekeeping force from July 1 should be approved as soon as next week.