PARIS: Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Tuesday that France would deploy about 1,000 soldiers to Central African Republic for six months to support an African peacekeeping force.

"France will support this African mission with about 1,000 soldiers," Le Drian said on Europe 1 radio. "We will do this in support, not as the first ones in, as we have done for Mali, and for a short period, in the range of about six months."