UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. peacekeeping chief said Friday he doesn’t expect a West African-led military offensive to oust al-Qaida and extremists from northern Mali to begin until September or October of next year.

Herve Ladsous said experts have told the United Nations that before a military operation takes place Mali’s army needs to be retrained. Once that happens, another issue will be the rainy season, which should be over by next September, he said.