French General Says the Malian Army Needs More Training

Wants training mission extended beyond May 2014

BRUSSELS—The head of the European Union's training mission to Mali said the mission should be extended by at least a year to make sure all eight units of the Malian army are battle-ready.

The EU approved the mission of around 200 soldiers to train and restructure Mali's army weeks after French troops entered Mali in January to defeat an offensive by Islamist militants in the north of the country.

The soldiers, who are accompanied by a European protection force of some 200, have completed the training of one of the four units they are mandated to train in the Malian army. They recently started training a second unit.