Operation Barkhane
Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaeda took control of the desert north of Mali in early 2012, exploiting a Tuareg separatist uprising.
France began a military intervention the next year that evolved into the current Operation Barkhane deployment with a mandate for counter-terror operations across the Sahel region, encompassing Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
Around 4,500 French personnel are deployed, and they work alongside the G5 Sahel joint counter-terrorism force that aims to train 5,000 troops, as well as peacekeepers deployed to the United Nations Minusma stabilization mission in Mali.
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Jan- 2021 -20 January
Mali Security Forces Disperse Rally Against French Army
Mali's security forces fired tear gas at dozens of demonstrators in the capital Bamako during an unauthorized rally against France's military role in the country.
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15 January
French Troops Kill 15 Jihadists in Mali
France's armed forces said Friday they had killed around 15 jihadists near Mali's border with Burkina Faso, where an al-Qaeda-linked group is active.
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6 January
After Eight Years of Mali Campaign, France Seeks Exit Strategy
Eight years after France sent troops to Mali to prevent jihadists from overrunning the country, it faces tough choices over how to keep pursuing Islamist extremists without becoming bogged down in a potentially unwinnable war.
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6 January
France Says Kills Dozens of Mali Jihadists, Villagers Say Wedding Party Hit
France said it had killed dozens of jihadists in an air strike in central Mali, while several villagers said up to 20 wedding guests were killed by fire from a helicopter.
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5 January
GSIM Jihadists Claim Killings of French Soldiers in Mali
The Al-Qaeda-linked Group to Support Islam and Muslims has claimed responsibility for an attack that killed two French soldiers in Mali.
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Dec- 2020 -29 December
Explosive Device Kills Three French Soldiers in Mali
Three French soldiers were killed in Mali when their armored vehicle struck an explosive device in the Hombori region.
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17 December
Bomb Kills Malian Soldier and Wounds Five
A Mali soldier was killed and five others were wounded when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device on a highway in the troubled west African country.
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3 December
G5 Sahel Chief Cautions Against Early French Troop Cut
The head of a five-nation force in the Sahel has warned against any early move by France to scale back its anti-jihadist mission in the troubled region.
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Nov- 2020 -30 November
Mali, Foreign Military Bases Attacked in North
Malian and foreign military bases in three Mali towns came under attack from mortars and rockets on Monday in the north of the country, military sources said.
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13 November
French Forces Kill Jihadist Commander Ba Ag Moussa in Mali
France announced its anti-jihadist force in Mali had killed Ba Ag Moussa, the military commander of the Al-Qaeda-aligned Group to Support Islam and Muslims linked to attacks in the region.
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