The Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, at the Elysee Palace on December 2 2015. – Jacques Witt / SIPA
The week which has just ended has been particularly murderous for the French soldiers in Mali . A total of five soldiers died there during the period in jihadist attacks. In this context, France will “very probably” reduce the strength of its anti-jihadist force Barkhane to Sahel after “significant military successes” in 2015, declared the French Minister of the Armed Forces
A “it’s temporary” reinforcement
“We will most likely have to adjust this device: reinforcement by definition, it’s temporary ”, explained Florence Parly in a daily interview The Parisian to be published on Monday after the reinforcement of 310 soldiers who brought the strength of Barkhane to 5. 20 men in 2020. A decision will be made at the next joint summit of France and the G5 Sahel countries in February in N’djamena at Chad , added the Minister.
In 2020, the Barkhane force has achieved “significant military successes, both by neutralizing several senior officials of terrorist groups and by attacking their supply chains” , also recalled Florence Parly. The leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb ( AQIM ), Algerian Abdelmalek Droukdal, for example, was killed in northern Mali in June. France also announced the “neutralization” in November of Bah Ag Moussa, described as the “military leader” of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), affiliated with Al-Qaida.
No negotiation with Al-Qaida or Daesh
But this is not enough. “Yes, the security conditions in the Sahel remain difficult. Terrorists use the weapon of cowards ”, launched Florence Parly , affirming that homemade explosive devices are triggered “indifferently” when civilian and military vehicles pass. “If the jihadists adopt these pernicious methods of guerrilla warfare, it is because they refuse the fight, aware that they would have no chance if they had to confront Barkhane’s soldiers in a regular fight,” he said. The Minister has in addition to once again ruled out any negotiation “with terrorist groups like Al-Qaida or Daesh, which murder indiscriminately and have blood on their hands”. But the door is open for “people who have laid down their arms and who are not motivated by a radical and criminal ideology,” she noted. They must rally to the Algiers peace accords of 310, she added.