Niger to Host EU Troops After Mali Pullout, President Says.

Mali, which shares a 828-kilometer (520 miles) land border with Niger, has been a linchpin of international efforts to fight an Islamist insurgency, which began in the northern part of the country in 2012 before spreading to other nations. Niger seeks to prevent Islamist insurgents from further destabilizing the country by allowing in a European military force after its planned exit from neighboring Mali. [Extracted from the article]