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G5 Sahel summit: Macron sketches drawdown plan but no 'immediate' cut

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President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday pledged no "immediate" reduction in the 5,100 French troops fighting an Islamist insurgency in western Africa, but also set out his strategy for a far lighter presence over time. France first sent troops into Mali in early 2013 to defeat Islamist insurgents that had seized control of the country's northern half, with the Barkhane operation formally starting in August 2014. The force has claimed successes on the ground, notably the June 2020 killing of Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). But Macron, who faces a re-election fight next year, is also aware of the perils faced by French soldiers, 50 of whom have now been killed since 2013. FRANCE 24's Politics Editor Marc Perelman explains.

Added on the 16/02/2021 15:54:24 - Copyright : France 24 EN

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