West African foreign and defense ministers have met in Nigeria to set out a military plan to help the Malian government battle with the militants controlling the northern part of the country, Press TV reports.

During the Friday meeting in the Nigerian capital Abuja, ministers from the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) tried to formulate an expanded military strategy ahead of a summit of the bloc’s leaders on Sunday, which will discuss a possible military intervention in northern Mali.

ECOWAS defense chiefs “are recommending to the summit 5,500 troops as against the initial proposition of 3,200 by ECOWAS. The difference is expected to be contributed by non-ECOWAS states which have signified interest to contribute troops," said a source from the bloc.


On October 24, the African Union (AU) said that about 3,200 soldiers would be needed for a possible military operation in northern Mali.

In addition, a report which was prepared after the meeting also spoke of "the leadership role of ECOWAS in the deployment of an African-led international force” in the crisis-hit country.

The collective efforts to provide solutions to the security situation in Mali were reportedly done with the support of Malian authorities.

The plan will eventually be sent for approval at the UN Security Council, which on October 12, adopted a resolution that gave West African nations 45 days to offer details of a plan for a military mission in the West African country.

However, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned against military operation, saying it would further affect millions of people in the region.

Mali plunged into chaos after the country’s democratically-elected government was ousted in a March coup. Tuareg rebels initially took control of two-thirds of the country. Militants took advantage of the power vacuum created by the coup to seize the northern parts of the country.