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West Africa: Macron Announces Major Overhaul of France's Operation in Sahel
RFI, 10 June 2021
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced an overhaul of France's military operations in the Sahel, saying today's Barkhane force would no longer exist in its current… Read more »
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West Africa: France Asks Liberia and Neighbouring Countries to Help Curb Sahel Insurgents
RFI, 12 June 2021
France's Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has called for a regional effort to combat jihadists in the Sahel on a two-day visit to Liberia. Read more »
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West Africa: France Announces End to Anti-Jihadist Operation in Sahel
East African, 11 June 2021
France will begin a gradual withdrawal of its troops in the Sahel region of West Africa as part of a plan to put to an end its eight-year operation dubbed 'Barkhane'. Read more »
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Africa: Russia's Hand in Conflicts Around Africa
Nation, 27 May 2021
The Central African Republic (CAR) remains volatile owing to increased activity involving the army and rebel groups. Read more »
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Burkina Faso: The Bishops - 'We Offer Our Condolences for the Victims of the Solhan Massacre'
Agenzia Fides, 10 June 2021
"As we know, our country, Burkina Faso, has once again experienced a deadly attack, in Solhan, in Yaga, in the Sahel. On behalf of our Church Family of God, we offer our sincere… Read more »
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West Africa: Global Terrorism, Armed Struggle in Sahel, Threats to Nigeria - Govt
This Day, 9 June 2021
The federal government yesterday attributed the unending violence in Nigeria to rising global terrorism and armed struggle in the Sahel region, which constituted a threat to… Read more »
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Mali: Will Promises of Democratic Transition in Mali Convince France to Leave?
VOA, 7 June 2021
A promise Monday by Mali's new interim president to hold democratic elections by early next year appears to meet some conditions set by France to resume recently suspended… Read more »
France to Carry Out Major Overhaul of its Sahel Operation
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced an overhaul of France's military operations in the Sahel, saying the Barkhane force will no longer exist in its current form. Macron said the overhaul would entail the closure of some French army bases.
He said the fight against militants in the region would be carried out instead by special forces, including a significant French component of several hundred soldiers, as well as forces from other countries in Europe, Africa and elsewhere.
The Sahel is seen by many western politicians and experts as a major risk area because of the growing strength of militant groups there, as well as its role as a crossroads for arms and human trafficking. Macron also faces pressure at home to end a deployment that began in January 2013, while in the Sahel region itself the presence of French forces is opposed by some politicians and locals who see it as a colonial throwback.
InFocus
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More than 7,000 people have fled a village in Burkina Faso that was attacked over the weekend, adding to tens of thousands already displaced by a militant insurgency in the ... Read more »
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The UN refugee agency says survivors of the massacre in a Burkina Faso village are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Unidentified gunmen attacked the village of Solhan in the ... Read more »
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With the death of President Idriss Déby, Chad joins Mali as large countries in the Sahel region which are undergoing transitions. "Political and military issues have ... Read more »
The Sahel region of Africa is a 3,860-kilometre arc-like land mass lying to the immediate south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the breadth of the African continent.
