Nato says it has not been asked to assist a military alliance in Mali. This after Benin President Boni Yayi, who is at present head of the African Union, urged Nato to step in.
French troops have officially wound up their Nato mission in Afghanistan and are due to be home for Christmas. Some French soldiers will stay on until next year in a training role.
In Afghanistan on Tuesday Taliban rebels strapped a bomb to a donkey which exploded killing the district police chief of Charsada, central Ghor province.
