**France prepares to end its military presence in Mali**
A double coup d’état that was not anticipated, a disinformation campaign that could not be countered, despite undeniable operational successes that were undoubtedly not sufficiently exploited by the media, except for the elimination of jihadist leaders, a communication that broke with the formula “do it well and let people know about it”, “the indicator of success is not the number of jihadists killed,” argued General Lecointre, the former Chief of Staff of the Army… But it is an “indicator” that speaks to the people, a struggle for influence, led by Russia and Turkey, that the rodomontades of Paris will not have discouraged, a “transformation” of Barkhane announced at a press conference given before a G7 summit and not at the end of a G5 Sahel meeting.
In short, all of this has led to a “hostile Malian political context” for the Barkhane force, as Florence Parly, the Minister of the Army, recently described it. A context marked by the arrival, at the request of the Malian junta, of “Russian military trainers” in the north of the country, as well as “provocations” against Paris and its European partners, which could only degrade diplomatic relations, as evidenced by the expulsion of the French ambassador posted in Bamako.
Under these conditions, the question of the French military presence in Mali arises. And also that, consequently, of the European countries whose troops are engaged in the Takuba force, which comes under Barkhane. A decision should therefore be announced soon. But according to press reports, it has already been made: barring an unlikely change in the attitude of the Malian junta, the withdrawal of French and European forces, at least those of Takuba, would be official.
Hence the visit to Niger by Mme Parly on February 2 and 3. “Discussions will also focus on recent political and security developments in the Sahel and West Africa and on the evolution of the Barkhane mechanism,” the Ministry of the Armed Forces had previously indicated in a press release published just before the visit to Niamey.
“France remains committed to the fight against armed terrorist groups, alongside Sahelian forces, in close coordination with its European and American allies who are participating in the Barkhane force and providing valuable support,” the statement said.
According to information obtained by Europe1, the announcement of the French redeployment in the Sahel will be “made official in the next fifteen days. And he added that “the whole issue for the executive will be to hammer home the fact that this is not a ‘military failure’, but that the device must evolve because of the junta which is showing the French the way out.
This upcoming French military withdrawal will pose an obvious logistical challenge, with more than 700 vehicles [including 430 armored vehicles] already having to be “repatriated,” or at least redeployed, probably to Niger. And we will also have to take into account the resources committed by Takuba’s European partners. And this disengagement, if it is done in part by road, promises to be delicate, as shown by the recent crossing of Burkina Faso by a Barkhane convoy…
A priori, and given that there is no question of abandoning the fight against jihadist groups, whose influence could spread to the Gulf of Guinea, Paris would like to continue to accompany the local armed forces with ad hoc detachments… on the condition that the countries concerned make the request. This was already the idea behind the transformation of Barkhane, as described by President Macron last June. It remains to be seen what the future of Takuba will be, given that Niger does not want this European force on its territory. For the moment, at least.
“France prepares to end its military presence in Mali” BUT France is betting on its former colonies to keep its presence there, asking Algeria, Morocco and other former colonies to send troops to MALI.
I’m glad my country’s forces left that sandbox. So sick and tired of corrupt Africans asking for help and then blaming us the minute it’s beneficial for them. Now they can get Wagner forces and see how that works out. CAR is a good example to look at.
5 comments
**France prepares to end its military presence in Mali**
A double coup d’état that was not anticipated, a disinformation campaign that could not be countered, despite undeniable operational successes that were undoubtedly not sufficiently exploited by the media, except for the elimination of jihadist leaders, a communication that broke with the formula “do it well and let people know about it”, “the indicator of success is not the number of jihadists killed,” argued General Lecointre, the former Chief of Staff of the Army… But it is an “indicator” that speaks to the people, a struggle for influence, led by Russia and Turkey, that the rodomontades of Paris will not have discouraged, a “transformation” of Barkhane announced at a press conference given before a G7 summit and not at the end of a G5 Sahel meeting.
In short, all of this has led to a “hostile Malian political context” for the Barkhane force, as Florence Parly, the Minister of the Army, recently described it. A context marked by the arrival, at the request of the Malian junta, of “Russian military trainers” in the north of the country, as well as “provocations” against Paris and its European partners, which could only degrade diplomatic relations, as evidenced by the expulsion of the French ambassador posted in Bamako.
Under these conditions, the question of the French military presence in Mali arises. And also that, consequently, of the European countries whose troops are engaged in the Takuba force, which comes under Barkhane. A decision should therefore be announced soon. But according to press reports, it has already been made: barring an unlikely change in the attitude of the Malian junta, the withdrawal of French and European forces, at least those of Takuba, would be official.
Hence the visit to Niger by Mme Parly on February 2 and 3. “Discussions will also focus on recent political and security developments in the Sahel and West Africa and on the evolution of the Barkhane mechanism,” the Ministry of the Armed Forces had previously indicated in a press release published just before the visit to Niamey.
“France remains committed to the fight against armed terrorist groups, alongside Sahelian forces, in close coordination with its European and American allies who are participating in the Barkhane force and providing valuable support,” the statement said.
According to information obtained by Europe1, the announcement of the French redeployment in the Sahel will be “made official in the next fifteen days. And he added that “the whole issue for the executive will be to hammer home the fact that this is not a ‘military failure’, but that the device must evolve because of the junta which is showing the French the way out.
This upcoming French military withdrawal will pose an obvious logistical challenge, with more than 700 vehicles [including 430 armored vehicles] already having to be “repatriated,” or at least redeployed, probably to Niger. And we will also have to take into account the resources committed by Takuba’s European partners. And this disengagement, if it is done in part by road, promises to be delicate, as shown by the recent crossing of Burkina Faso by a Barkhane convoy…
A priori, and given that there is no question of abandoning the fight against jihadist groups, whose influence could spread to the Gulf of Guinea, Paris would like to continue to accompany the local armed forces with ad hoc detachments… on the condition that the countries concerned make the request. This was already the idea behind the transformation of Barkhane, as described by President Macron last June. It remains to be seen what the future of Takuba will be, given that Niger does not want this European force on its territory. For the moment, at least.
Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Wagner 1 – France 0
“France prepares to end its military presence in Mali” BUT France is betting on its former colonies to keep its presence there, asking Algeria, Morocco and other former colonies to send troops to MALI.
I’m glad my country’s forces left that sandbox. So sick and tired of corrupt Africans asking for help and then blaming us the minute it’s beneficial for them. Now they can get Wagner forces and see how that works out. CAR is a good example to look at.
The Copium is strong in here.