France Offers to Help Stop Islamic Militants From Mali Fleeing into Libya

Intervention pushing fighters into safer area

France has offered to work with Libya to seal its boders to Islamist fighters fleeing Mali, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday.

Security officials say the vast deserts of southern Libya are becoming the latest safe havens for Al-Qaeda-linked fighters driven out of Mali by the French-led offensive against Islamist militias.

"France is available to bring contributions to the sovereign tools of the Libyan state, especially on securing the borders," Le Drian told a press conference after attending a security conference in Singapore.