UN peacekeeper take over from African troops in Mali

Today (Monday), UN peacekeepers will take over from African troops in Mali for security duties in the conflict stricken country.

The 12-thousand-and-six-hundred-strong force is the third-largest UN peacekeeping mission in the world.

French troops, who launched a military operation in January to stop Islamist rebels will reduce its deployment to 1-thousand soldiers.

Rwandan General Jean-Bosco Karuza will lead the UN force mainly composed of African soldiers already in Mali.

RFI's Raïssa Ioussouf spoke to outgoing commander of the African mission, Nigerian Major-General Shehu Usman Abdul Kadir.

He told us about his experience and what is next for him.