France, of which more than 5,000 troops are stationed in the Sahel, will resume joint operations with the Malian Armed Forces, having suspended bilateral cooperation following a second coup in Mali in May, announced on Friday. the Armed Forces.
“After consulting the Malian Transitional Authorities and the countries of the region, France notes the commitments of the Malian Transitional Authorities” approved by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and “decided to resume joint military operations and national advisory missions, which had been suspended since 3 June, Paris announced in a press release.
After a second nine-month coup that made Colonel Assimi Goïta head of this crucial state of stability in the Sahel, France declared a month ago to suspend joint operations with the Malian forces, with which it has cooperated for many years. the jihadists.
“France remains fully committed to its European and American allies, along with the Sahel countries and international missions” to combat the jihadist groups in the Sahel, the Defense Ministry concluded on Friday in its press release.
Gradual division into France
President Emmanuel Macron recently announced France’s gradual disengagement from the Sahel. The French anti-jihadist Barkhane force (5,100 men at present) will disappear in favor of a tighter unit, focused on the fight against terrorism and support in the fight for local armies.
But “this transformation does not mean that we are leaving the Sahel, nor that we will slow down our terrorist operations” in the region, French Defense Minister Florence Parly said earlier on Friday. “We have a collective responsibility, (we) Europeans, to secure the southern side of Europe. “It is important not to allow the Sahel and Africa to become more of a refuge and expansion zone for these terrorist groups affiliated with Daesh and al-Qaeda,” she said.
Takuba strength
To reduce the sail in the Sahel, France is counting heavily on the increase of the group of European special forces Takuba, created on the initiative of Paris to follow the Malian units in battle. “Today we see no inclinations, reluctance or questions linked to the political situation” in Mali, Ms Parly assured, given “all the more important that we consolidate Takuba that we see him as an important role in the years to come”.
Takuba today gathers 600 men in Mali: half are French, the other Estonians, Czechs, Swedes and Italians. Romania has also committed itself to participating.
(with AFP)
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