ECOWAS, the West African 15-nation bloc threatened on Monday to impose new sanctions on Mali\'s coup leaders. They were accused of blocking a return to civilian rule and destabilizing the nation, Reuters said. The bloc is considering sending a 3,000-strong military force to Mali. However, the deployment depends on ending a political stand-off in the country’s capital. The coup leaders last week resisted a call by ECOWAS to extend the mandate of the caretaker president.