U.N. says Mali still precarious, future peacekeepers need equipment

Bert Koenders (center R), United Nations special envoy for Mali, is greeted by Mali's foreign affairs General Secretary Sekouba Cisse (center L) upon his arrival at Bamako airport, June 4, 2013. REUTERS/Francois Rihouay

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Armed groups in Mali continue to pose a serious security threat to the entire region while African troops forming the core of a U.N. peacekeeping mission deploying next month are not yet properly equipped, the U.N. chief said in a new report.

France launched a massive military campaign in January which broke al Qaeda-linked Islamist fighters' control over the northern two-thirds of Mali and allowed the Tuaregs to regain control of their traditional fiefdom of Kidal.