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Sahel ‘G5’ force starts anti-extremists fight
[PRESSTV] A joint anti-extremist force linking countries in the Sahel began operations on Wednesday, the French military mission in the region, which is providing support, told AFP."The deployment of Malian, Nigerien and Burkinabe troops in the G5 Sahel force began this morning," said a colonel for La Belle France's Barkhane mission, speaking on condition that only his first name of Marc-Antoine was used. Several hundred troops have been deployed in the initial operation, codenamed Hawbi, he said. It will "provide a show of strength and demonstrate presence" in the Mali, Burkina and Niger border regions "and impede freedom of movement, which several gangs have enjoyed for months," Marc-Antoine said. "The ultimate goal is to boost the power of the G5 Sahel force so that it can relocate by itself in cross-border zones," said Marc-Antoine. The world's newest joint international force, the five-nation G5 Sahel plans to number up to 5,000 military, police and civilian troops by March 2018. The 5,000 will comprise two battalions each from Mali and Niger and one each from Burkina Faso ...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other... , Chad and Mauritania. The force has been placed under the leadership of a Malian general, Didier Dacko, although for the time being the national contingents will not be integrated. Posted by: Fred 2017-11-02 |
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