You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (November 2022) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Operation Barkhane (French: Opération Barkhane) was a counterinsurgency operation that started on 1 August 2014 and formally ended on 9 November 2022. It was led by the French military against Islamist groups in Africa's Sahel region[22] and consisted of a roughly 3,000-strong French force, which was permanently headquartered in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad.[1][15] The operation was led in co-operation with five countries, all of which are former French colonies that span the Sahel: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. Mali was a part of the operation until August 2022.[1] The countries are collectively referred to as the "G5 Sahel".[23] The operation was named after a crescent-shaped dune type that is common in the Sahara desert.[24]
.svg){kind=small}
The French military initially intervened in Mali in early 2013 as part of Operation Serval, which successfully regained the northern half of the country from Islamist groups. Operation Barkhane is intended to follow up to that success and has expanded the French military's operations over a vast area of the Sahel region. The operation has the stated aim of helping the countries' governments to maintain control of their territory and preventing the region from becoming a safe haven for Islamist terrorist groups that plan to attack France and Europe.[25]
On 24 May 2021, the 2021 Malian coup d'état was carried out by Vice President Assimi Goïta.[26] French President Emmanuel Macron announced in June 2021 that the operation would soon end and French forces would pull out in a phased manner, due to France's inability to work with the national governments in the Sahel region. He however added that French forces would remain in the region as part of a larger international mission.[27] The operation was later scheduled to end by the first quarter of 2022.[28]
France began withdrawing its troops from Mali on 17 February 2022.[29] Macron announced that the base of Barkhane will shift to Niger.[30] The military junta ruling Mali however asked France to withdraw without delay on 18 March, with Macron responding that they would withdraw over the next four to six months.[31] French forces fully withdrew from Mali on 15 August.[14] The French military stated that the operation was not ending, but being reformulated.[15] However on 9 November, Macron announced the end of Operation Barkhane.[12]
Background
editAs part of the fallout from the Libyan Civil War, instability in northern Mali caused by a Tuareg rebellion against the central Malian government was exploited by Islamist groups who gained control over the northern half of the country. In response, France launched a military operation in January 2013 to stop the Islamist offensive from toppling the Malian government and to re-capture northern Mali.[32] The operation, codenamed Operation Serval, ended in the complete re-capture of all Islamist held territory by the operation's conclusion on 15 July 2014.
Following the end of Operation Serval, France recognised the need to provide stability in the wider Sahel region by helping the region's various governments combat terrorism. The former French Defense Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said that France recognised that "there still is a major risk that jihadists develop in the area that runs from the Horn of Africa to Guinea-Bissau." Therefore, Operation Barkhane was launched in order to assure the Sahel nations' security, and in effect France's security.[23] The operation is the successor of Operation Serval, the French military mission in Mali,[24] and Operation Epervier, the mission in Chad.[33]
Aim
editThe operation aims "to become the French pillar of counterterrorism in the Sahel region".[23] According to French Defence Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the main objective of Operation Barkhane is counter-terrorism:[22] "The aim is to prevent what I call the highway of all forms of traffics to become a place of permanent passage, where jihadist groups between Libya and the Atlantic Ocean can rebuild themselves, which would lead to serious consequences for our security."[34] The concept of 'partnership' has been emphasised to explain the deployment of the French troops. The main objective of the French military intervention is the direct support of the G5 Sahel forces, through training and the introduction of new technologies and resources.[35] Former French President, François Hollande, has said the Barkhane force will allow for a "rapid and efficient intervention in the event of a crisis" in the region.[24] The operation will target Islamist extremists in Mali, Chad, and Niger,[22] and will have a mandate to operate across borders.[22]
Forces committed
editFrench forces
editThe French force was initially a 3,000-strong counter-terrorism force,[1] with 1,000 soldiers deployed indefinitely in Mali. These soldiers were to be focused on counter-terrorism operations in northern Mali, with another 1,200 soldiers stationed in Chad, and the remaining soldiers split between a surveillance base in Niger, a bigger permanent base in Ivory Coast, and some special forces in Burkina Faso.[1] According to original plans, the French forces were supplied with 20 helicopters, 200 armored vehicles, 10 transport aircraft, 6 fighter planes, and 3 drones.[1] French Army Aviation currently have two Aérospatiale SA 330 Pumas in Chad.[36]
The division of labor between France and the G5 Sahel has been established by four permanent military bases:[23] (1) headquarters and an air force base in the Chadian capital of N'Djamena (under the leadership of French Général Palasset); (2) a regional base in Gao, north Mali, with at least 1,000 men; (3) a special-forces base in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou; (4) an intelligence base in Niger's capital, Niamey, with over 300 men. The Niamey airbase is strategically important because it hosts drones in charge of gathering intelligence across the entire Sahel-Saharan region.[23] From Niamey, France's troops are supported by two German Transall C-160s.[37] In 2020, France stated that it will deploy 600 soldiers in addition to the existing force to fight the Islamist militants in Africa's Sahel.[38]
The aviation support is provided the French Groupement Tactique Désert-Aérocombat.[39]
British support
editIn March 2016, during the UK-France Summit in Paris, the British government announced that it would consider providing support to Operation Barkhane.[6] British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon then announced that the UK would provide monthly strategic airlift support to French forces in Africa.[7] In July 2018, three RAF Chinook helicopters arrived in Mali to provide logistical and troop movement support to French and other military forces operating in the area. This deployment was in addition to the 90 British troops already deployed in the region.[40] In September 2018, Forces.net reported that, to date, the RAF Chinooks had made 30 sorties, transporting over 700 French troops, supplies and 70 tons of equipment across Mali.[41] In July 2020, the British Ministry of Defence announced that nearly 250 British Army troops would train and deploy to Mali to serve as a long-range reconnaissance force for United Nations forces.[42]
Estonia
editOn 22 March 2018, the Ministry of Defence of Estonia announced its intention to commit up to 50 troops and 5 Pasi XA-188 armoured vehicles to Mali as part of Operation Barkhane, to be based in Gao, pending approval by the Riigikogu.[43][44] The unit, named ESTPLA-26 and headed by Maj. Kristjan Karist, was detached from the C Infantry Company of the Scouts Battalion on 6 August, and arrived in Mali that same week to be stationed at the French military base in Gao.[2][45] In November 2019, Estonia increased its Operation Barkhane troop deployment to 95 soldiers.[46]
Sweden
editThe Swedish contribution to Barkhane via Task Force Takuba arrived in Mali during February 2021.[47] The Swedish troop contribution to Task Force Takuba is a 150-man strong helicopter-borne rapid-response force, centered around an SOG task unit and supported by three UH-60M helicopters and one C-130, ready to be deployed if something unforeseen occurs. The task force will also be used for other operations, as for example to support other countries that exercise and conduct operations with the Malian army.[48]
On 14 January 2022, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Sweden's intention to withdraw Swedish forces from the European special forces mission in Sahel and reevaluate Swedish involvement in United Nations task force in Mali.[49]
Operations
edit2014–2015: Beginning of Barkhane and insurgents regroup
edit
Operations commenced 1 August 2014. French Forces sustained their first casualty during a battle in early November 2014, which also resulted in 24 jihadists dead.[50] On 24 November, a French special forces soldier was killed in a Caracal helicopter crash in Burkina Faso.[51] French forces experienced their first major success of Barkhane in December 2014 with the killing of Ahmed al-Tilemsi, the leader of the Al-Mourabitoun jihadist group, by French special forces during a raid in the deserts of northern Mali.[52]
From 7 to 14 April 2015, French and Nigerien forces carried out an airborne operation in the far north of Niger to search for Jihadists. As part of the operation, 90 French Army paratroopers of the 2e REP jumped near the Salvador pass. Two soldiers were injured during the jump before they were joined by a joint force of Nigerien and French soldiers from the 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment (1er RHP).[53]
On 26 November 2015, a French Air Parachute Commando died in hospital in France as a result of his injuries after being hit by an anti-tank mine on 13 October near Tessalit during a reconnaissance mission.[54]
2016–2017: Insurgency intensifies
editFrench soldiers based in Mali as part of the Army Special Forces Command were rapidly deployed to Burkina Faso on 15 January 2016 after jihadists launched a terrorist attack on Ouagadougou which killed 30 people.[55] In February, French forces killed a number of insurgent fighters in the north of Mali, including a number of high ranking foreign jihadists from AQIM.[56]
On 12 April 2016, three French soldiers were killed when their armored personnel carrier struck a land mine. The convoy of about 60 vehicles was travelling to the northern desert town of Tessalit when it hit the mine.[57] Another French soldier was killed on 4 November 2016 following the explosion of a mine near the town of Abeïbara, which made 2016 the deadliest year up to that point for French forces participating in Barkhane.[58]
.jpg)
On 15 March 2017, French forces arrested eight jihadists in the desert north of Timbuktu.[59] On 5 April 2017, master corporal Julien Barbé,[60] was killed in action near Hombori after an explosive device blew up an armoured vehicle.[61] He was posthumously made a knight of the Legion of Honour.[60] Heavy fighting between French forces and Jihadist groups continued into the summer of 2017, with 8 French soldiers being wounded by a mortar attack on their base in Timbuktu on 1 June.[62] On the night of 17 June, France suffered its tenth soldier killed during an airborne operation in the north-east of Mali.[63]
On 4 October 2017, French forces operating as part of Barkhane were the first to respond to the ambush of American soldiers searching for an Islamic State commander on the Niger-Mali border. French air support was requested by the Americans and two hours later Mirage fighter jets arrived from Niamey. Despite the French pilots being unable to engage ground targets due to the proximity of friendly forces, the jets deterrence was enough to end the ambush.[64] A French special forces team were the first ground forces to reach the scene of the ambush, 3–4 hours after the firefight which resulted in the death of 4 American Green Berets.[65]
On 14 October 2017, an Antonov An-26 aircraft operating in support of Operation Barkhane crashed shortly before landing at Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.[66] Four Moldovan flight crew were killed. Two Moldovan flight crew and four French Army soldiers were injured.[67]
2018–2020: Increased violence across the Sahel and French troop surge
edit
A French Army convoy was attacked on 11 January 2018, by a suicide car bomb while driving between the towns of Idelimane and Ménaka. Three French soldiers were wounded, one seriously, in the attack which was later claimed by Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.[68] On 14 February, a French airstrike killed at least 10 Jihadists at the border between Algeria and Mali.[69] Two French soldiers from the 1st Spahi Regiment were killed and the Colonel-in-chief was wounded on 21 February when the armoured vehicle they were travelling in struck a mine between the towns of Gao and Ménaka.[70]
On 14 April 2018, JNIM militants launched an attack on a UN base in Timbuktu, wounding several French soldiers before being repelled by French, Malian and American troops.[71] Four French soldiers were seriously wounded by a suicide car bomb attack against a joint French-Malian patrol in Gao on 1 July 2018.[72] The attack, which heavily damaged a number of French VBCIs, also killed 4 civilians and seriously wounded 27 others.[73]
On 22 February 2019, French forces backed by an armed reaper drone and a helicopter attacked a JNIM convoy killing 11 militants including senior leader Yahia Abou el Hamman in the Tombouctou Region of Mali.[74][75] A militant improvised explosive device struck a French armoured vehicle carrying out an anti-terrorist operation in the Mopti Region on 2 April, killing one French soldier and seriously wounding another.[76] Two French commandos of the Commandos Marine were killed on 9 May in the North of Burkina Faso during a rescue mission which successfully rescued four hostages, included two Frenchmen, and an American and South Korean woman, who had been kidnapped by Islamists.[77]
In mid-June 2019, a French Army Light Aviation Gazelle helicopter crashed in the border region between Mali and Niger after being fired upon by insurgent small arms fire. The two pilots and a special forces sniper were subsequently rescued by another helicopter after destroying the damaged helicopter.[78] The French military base in Gao was assaulted by suicide bombers on 22 July in an attack that wounded 6 Estonian soldiers and a similar number of French personnel.[79] A French soldier was killed on 2 November 2019 when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device during a patrol near Ménaka in eastern Mali.[80] French commandos launched a heli-borne raid later that month on an insurgent camp in Mali's eastern regions, which resulted in five insurgents killed and one French soldier being seriously injured.[81]
On 25 November 2019, 13 French soldiers were killed in northern Mali when two French helicopters, a 'Tigre' and a 'Cougar', collided in mid-air while flying to reinforce soldiers engaged in combat with insurgents.[82] The loss of 13 soldiers was the heaviest loss of life for the French military since the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings.[83]
On 21 December 2019, the French military killed 40 militants in an operation in the Mopti Region of Mali. The area where the operation took place was controlled by Macina Liberation Front and it involved France's first ever use of a drone strike which accounted for 7 of the 40 killed insurgents.[84]
The French Defense Minister Florence Parly announced in February 2020 that France would send an additional 600 troops to the Sahel region, bolstering Operation Barkhanes' force to 5,100 troops.[85] The first contingent of these reinforcements was 200 French Army paratroopers from the 2e REP who were transported to Niger and formed a battle group called Desert Tactical Grouping (GTD) "Altor". This battle group operated autonomously and without a base on the ground for over a month, receiving supplies only by airdrop. GTD Altor killed over a dozen insurgents and disrupted their logistics throughout their initial month-long operation.[86]
Two soldiers from the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) were seriously wounded when their vehicle struck an IED during operations against insurgents on 23 April 2020; one of the soldier subsequently died from his wounds.[87] On 4 May 2020, a second soldier from the 1er REC was killed in action near Gao during a firefight with an insurgent force.[88]
On 3 June, French forces achieved one of their most significant successes of Operation Barkhane with the killing of Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). French and American intelligence sources had identified Droukdel's presence in a group crossing the Algerian-Malian border approximately 80 kilometres east of the town of Tessalit. French special forces subsequently conducted an air assault to intercept the group during which they shot and killed Droukdel and a number of other militants.[89]
A French soldier from the 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment (1er RHP) was killed during combat operations in Mali on 23 July 2020 when an improvised explosive device was triggered next to his armoured vehicle.[90] Two further paratroopers from the 1er RHP were killed on 5 September 2020 by an improvised explosive device which struck their vehicle during an operation in the north of Mali.[91] On 31 October 2020, French special Forces launched an operation near the town of Boulikessi near the border of Mali and Burkina Faso, 50 jihadists were killed and four were captured. On 10 November 2020, Ba Ag Moussa, Emir of Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, along with 4 other militants were killed in an attack carried out by French Special forces.[92][93][94]
On 12 November 2020, French Mountains commandos operating under Barkhane killed 30 jihadists in the city of Niaki in Central Mali.[95] After locating a suspicious encampment near Niaki, 180 kilometers east of Mopti, four Mirage 2000 fighter jets took off from the Niamey airbase in Niger, as reported by the French military headquarters. Additionally, four Tigre combat helicopters and three Caïman troop transport helicopters were dispatched, carrying mountain commandos on board. Following initial airstrikes by the Mirage jets on the encampment, the commandos, supported by the fighter jets and helicopters, engaged in a ground combat lasting approximately an hour, stated Colonel Barbry.[96][97] Following the operation, a significant amount of enemy assets were seized and the jihadist group suffered notable casualties. The ground forces reported confiscating approximately twenty motorcycles and a substantial quantity of weaponry from the encampment.[98]
On 30 November 2020, insurgents launched a coordinated attack on three separate French military bases in Kidal, Ménaka and Gao in northern Mali using indirect rocket fire but French forces reported no casualties as a result of the attacks.[99] A French military convoy consisting of the 1er Régiment de Chasseurs (1er RCh) was struck by two IED blasts in quick succession on 28 December 2020 during an operation in the Hombori region in central Mali, resulting in the death of three soldiers.[100][101]
2021–2022: French withdrawal
editOn 2 January 2021, two French soldiers from the 2nd Hussar Regiment (2e RH) were killed while taking part in an intelligence gathering mission in northeastern Mali.[102] Six French soldiers were wounded on 10 January when a suicide bomber attacked their convoy during a patrol in the central region near Gourma.[103] French and Malian forces conducted a joint offensive operation named Operation Eclipse from 2 to 20 January in the forests surrounding the town of Boni. Over 100 jihadists were killed and 20 captured by French forces during the course of Operation Eclipse.[104]
French forces carried out a controversial airstrike during the course of Operation Eclipse which locals claimed targeted a wedding ceremony in the village of Bounti, in the central Mopti region, on 3 January.[105] The French military denied these claims and asserted that the strike had successfully targeted a group of jihadist fighters.[106]
France announced it had suspended joint military operations with Mali on 3 June, in response to the coup d'état carried out by the Malian military, resulting in the deposition of the interim president Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane in May.[107]
The president of France Emmanuel Macron announced on 10 June that the operation would soon be coming to an end and instead be replaced by a mission involving forces from more countries. He also added that the French forces will withdraw in a phased manner, but some will remain as part of another international mission, for which France would convince other countries to join. As to the reason for the withdrawal, he stated that France could not continue to work with the national governments in the Sahel region, as they were negotiating with terrorists.[108]
On 2 July, France announced that it would resume its suspended joint military operations with Mali, following discussions with the interim government of the country.[109]
On 9 July, Macron stated that France will withdraw between 2,500 and 3,000 troops from the Sahel, while retaining other troops to thwart militant operations and supporting regional forces.[110] On 13 July, he announced that Barkhane would end in the first quarter of 2022.[28]
On 15 September, Macron announced that Barkhane forces had killed Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, the leader of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.[111] The assassination was conducted on 17 August using a drone in the Dangalous Forest of Mali near the border with Niger, according to the Chief of the Defence Staff Thierry Burkhard, after gathering information on locations where al-Sahrawi was likely to hide from captured IS-GS members. Burkhard added that al-Sahrawi was travelling on a motorcycle with another person when he was killed. A unit comprising 20 soldiers of the French Army's special forces was then sent to confirm the identities of those killed and found that the strike had killed ten IS-GS members.[112]
On 24 September, a French soldier was killed in an armed clash with insurgents in Mali, close to the border with Burkina Faso.[113]
As of 2021, Operation Barkhane cost about €1 billion per year.[114]
On 11 February, the French Army anncounced that it killed 40 militants in airstrikes on a motorcycle column in the W National Park area in cooperation with the Burkinabe forces on the previous day. The militants had carried out two armed attacks in Benin on 8 and 9 February, killing nine people.[115]
France along with its European allies announced the beginning of the withdrawal of troops from Mali on 17 February, blaming the military junta of Mali for obstructions in carrying out their military operations. France stated that the withdrawal was meant for its soldiers part of both Operation Barkhane and Takuba Task Force.[29] Macron stated that the base of the operation would shift from Mali to Niger.[30] France began redeploying its forces to other countries of the Sahel like Chad.[116]
The French military stated on 7 March 2022 that its forces had killed al-Qaeda commander Yahia Djouadi, alias "Abu Ammar al-Jazairi", overnight between 25 and 26 February. Djouadi was a former emir of the group in Libya before fleeing to Mali in 2019. He helped organize the group, in addition to managing its supplies, logistics and finances in the Tombouctou Region.[117]
On 18 March, the military government of Mali asked France to withdraw its troops "without delay". President Macron however responded that about 5,000 French troops will leave Mali in an "orderly fashion" over the next four to six months, in order to provide protection for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and forces of other nations stationed in Mali.[31]
France announced on 15 June that it had captured Oumeya Ould Albakaye, a senior ISGS leader in Mali overnight between 11 and 12 June.[118] On the following day, it stated that nearly 40 militants were killed in drone strikes on a column of motorcycles near Niger's border with Burkina Faso on 14 June.[119][120]
French forces completed their withdrawal from Mali on 15 August.[14] The French military stated that 3,000 troops will remain in the Sahel region as part of Operation Barkhane and added that it was not ending, but being reformulated.[15] However on November 9, Macron announced the end of Operation Barkhane and stated that some French troops will remain in the region under new arrangements.[12]
Casualties
editFrench forces
edit
Prior to the beginning of Operation Barkhane, 10 French troops had been killed in Mali as part of Operation Serval.[121] Since the launch of Operation Barkhane in August 2014, the French Ministère des Armées listed 38 servicemen were reported killed in Mali, 2 in Burkina Faso and one in Chad.[122] The vast distances of Operation Barkhane force's area of operations across the Sahel pose a significant challenge in dealing with French casualties, with wounded troops being possibly up to 1,100 km (680 mi) from advanced medical aid. To overcome these challenges, the French military created helicopter-mobile medical teams which can rapidly carry out MEDEVAC missions and transport casualties to more advanced medical care. Between 2013 and 2016, it was reported that French forces sustained 1,272 casualties which required MEDEVAC; of these casualties, 18.2% were wounded in action, 27.4% suffered trauma injuries and 46.6% were suffering from disease or sickness.[123]
Insurgent forces
editAfter the first year of operations, the French Army claimed that approximately 125 insurgents had been neutralized by French forces.[124] In late 2015, French army representatives indicated that over 150 ammunition and explosive depositories had been discovered and 25 vehicles and 80 electronic devices (GPS, computers, satellite phones and radio stations) had been destroyed. This represented 20 tons of ammunition, including 2,000 shells, 680 grenades, guided missiles, 25 IEDs and mines, 210 detonators, 30 mortars, machine guns and rocket launchers. The army also seized 3,500 kg (7,700 lb) of various drugs. French forces continued to inflict significant casualties in 2016, with nearly 150 insurgents killed or captured in that year.[125] By July 2017, the French Forces estimated that over 400 insurgents had been killed since the start of Operation Barkhane.[126]
In February 2018, the French Defense Minister, Florence Parly, indicated that 450 jihadists have been neutralized, amongst which 120 have been killed and 150 held as prisoners by Malian authorities. In July 2018, General Bruno Guibert, head of the Barkhane force, confirmed that 120 terrorists had been killed since the beginning of the year. In February 2019, Parly announced that over 600 jihadists had been "neutralized" since the beginning of the operation in 2014.[127]
Opinions and opposition
editDivided opinions
editFrom 2013 and the beginning of the Operation Serval onward, replaced by Operation Barkhane in 2014, opinions in Mali were divided as to the legitimacy of the French intervention. According to Mission head for Peace in Mali for the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Aurélien Tobie, "Between 2013 and 2015, we quickly realised, after the peace agreements in Ouagadougou and Algiers for Mali that the Malian opinion towards the French presence was changing. People were supporting the Serval Operation, but did not understand why the French presence was being prolonged with the Barkhane Operation".[128]
In 2017, the study "Mali-Meter", conducted by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Mali, polled the level of satisfaction with Operation Barkhane amongst the Malian population.[129] Less than half of the respondents were satisfied with the French intervention. The study also showed geographical disparities in approbation of Operation Barkhane.[129]
According to Aurélien Tobie, the differences of opinion between the North and the South of the country can be explained by the difference in proximity of the population with the operations: "People in contact with the forces of Barkhane in the North of the country approve of it much more because they see changes in their daily lives. Conversely, people interviewed in Southern Mali, who are generally higher educated but also further away from the conflict zone, are much more critical of the French presence".[128]
Demonstrations against the French presence took place since 2013 in Mali, on a regular basis.[130] Patriotic groups have been emerging.[131] These groups strive for an end of the French presence and some call for a Russian intervention.[131]
In June 2019, a former Malian minister anonymously declared to French newspaper Libération that anti-French sentiment was at its peak in Mali: "Conspiracy theories are flourishing everywhere. Soon, France will be accused of being responsible for the floods. The inertia of our own leaders is the primary cause of the problem".[132]
Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita also strongly criticised anti-French demonstrations. He stated in December 2019 that: "the foreign forces in our country are our allies in this tragic war imposed on us. We will not win this war by misunderstanding who our true enemy is and by falling into the trap of the terrorist groups".[133]
French President Emmanuel Macron has denounced a "disinformation campaign" led by a rival power, implying it was Russia, although he did not explicitly name it.[134]
On August 7, 2023, 94 French senators sent an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron in which they regretted "the failure of Operation Barkhane" and "the erasure of France" in Africa. The signatories, led by LR Roger Karoutchi, Bruno Retailleau and Christian Cambon, ask the president to review his strategy.[135]
Françafrique
editMuch of the criticism of the French intervention revolves around the concept of Françafrique, a pejorative term used to describe the alleged neocolonial practices of France in its former African colonies.[136]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f "François Hollande's African adventures: The French are reorganising security in an increasingly troubled region". Economist. 21 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Gallery: Estonian platoon enters service in Mali". Eesti Rahvusringhääling. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
- ^ a b "The Danish effort in the Sahel region (MINUSMA and Operation Barkhane)". fmn.dk. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- ^ Forces, Swedish Armed. "Swedish Special Forces to Mali". Försvarsmakten. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ Maclean, Ruth; O'Reilly, Finbarr (29 March 2020). "Crisis in the Sahel Becoming France's Forever War". The New York Times.
- ^ a b "UK-France Summit 3rd March 2016 – Annex on security and defence" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
- ^ a b "Defence Secretary secures progress on Brimstone sales as unmanned aircraft project moves forward". Ministry of Defence. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
And he committed the UK to providing one strategic airlift flight a month to support French forces in their operations against terrorists in Africa.
- ^ "Operation FREQUENCE". Forces.gc.ca. National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. 20 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- ^ "The CAF conduct airlift operations in support of French operations in West Africa and the Sahel region". Government of Canada. National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces. 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- ^ "Operation FREQUENCE". army.mil. US Army. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- ^ "France ends West African Barkhane military operation". Reuters. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Hugh Schofield (9 November 2022). "France calls time on anti-jihadist Operation Barkhane in Sahel". BBC News. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ David Coffey (12 November 2022). "Did France's Operation Barkhane win the fight against terror in the Sahel?". Radio France Internationale. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
- ^ a b c Annie Risemberg (15 August 2022). "French Forces Complete Departure from Mali". Voice of America. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Barkhane: 3,000 French troops deployed in the Sahel, after Mali". Africanews, Agence-France Presse. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "France's African forever war". UnHerd. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ Patrick Angevin (17 February 2022). "Retrait français du Mali. Pourquoi le bilan de l'opération Barkhane reste très discutable" [French withdrawal from Mali. Why the results of Operation Barkhane remain very questionable]. Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ "Malis ründasid terroristid Gao sõjaväebaasi" [In Mali, terrorists attacked the Gao military base]. Estonian Defence Forces. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ "Six Estonian Defence Forces members injured in Mali terrorist attack". Estonian Public Broadcasting. 23 July 2019.
- ^ Starr, Barbara; Cohen, Zachary (19 October 2017). "What we know and don't know about the deadly Niger attack". Washington: CNN. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ Anthony Fouchard, Au Sahel, l'armée française a tué au moins 2 800 présumés djihadistes, Mediapart, 16 février 2022.
- ^ a b c d France sets up anti-Islamist force in Africa's Sahel, bbc.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e Larivé, Maxime H.A. (7 August 2014). "Welcome to France's New War on Terror in Africa: Operation Barkhane". nationalinterest.org.
- ^ a b c Hollande announces new military operation in West Africa Archived 8 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine, france24.com.
- ^ "French troops in Mali anti-jihadist campaign mired in mud and mistrust". Reuters. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Mali President, PM Resign After Arrest, Confirming 2nd Coup in 9 Months". VOA News. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 29 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Macron announces the end of France's anti-Islamist Operation Barkhane in the Sahel". France24, Agence France-Presse, Reuters. France 24. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Macron announces France's Sahel military force will end in early 2022". Agence France-Presse. France 24. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ a b "France, European allies announce military withdrawal from Mali". Al Jazeera. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Macron announces French troop withdrawal from Mali". Agence France-Presse, France 24, Reuters. France 24. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Mali's ruling junta asks France to withdraw troops 'without delay'". France 24. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "BBC News – France Rafale jets target Gao in eastern Mali". BBC. 13 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ Opération Barkhane, French Ministry of Defense.
- ^ France Launches New Sahel Counter-Terrorism Operation Barkhane, ibtimes.co.uk.
- ^ Tervé, Claire (26 November 2019). "Qu'est-ce que l'opération Barkhane, dans laquelle la France est engagée au Sahel?" [What is Operation Barkhane, in which France is engaged in the Sahel?]. Le Huffington Post (in French). Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- ^ "USAF C-17 Transports Operation Barkhane Pumas". AirForces Monthly. No. 332. November 2015. p. 23. ISSN 0955-7091.
- ^ "Aktuelle Einsätze der Bundeswehr" [Current deployments of the Bundeswehr] (in German). Einsatz.bundeswehr.de. 17 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ "French defense ministry to send 600 more troops to Africa's Sahel". Reuters. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ "RAF Chinooks fly for France". AirForces Monthly. No. 392. November 2020. p. 22. ISSN 0955-7091.
- ^ "Three Royal Air Force Chinooks arrive in Mali". UK Defence Journal. 19 July 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ^ "RAF Chinooks Begin Mali Deployment With French Military". Forces.net. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "War in Mali: The British Are Coming". Historyguy.com. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ de Cherisey, Erwan (28 March 2018). "Estonia pledges troops for France's Sahel mission". Jane's Information Group.
- ^ "Estonian infantry unit to deploy to Mali in August". ERR. 27 July 2018.
- ^ Hankewitz, Sten (11 August 2018). "An Estonian infantry unit arrives in Mali to fight terrorists". Estonian World.com. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
- ^ "Estonia parliament approves Mali troop increase for Operation Barkhane". thedefensepost.com. 8 November 2019.
- ^ Försvarsmakten. "Svenska specialförband på plats i Mali" [Swedish special forces on location in Mali]. Försvarsmakten (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Forces, Swedish Armed. "Mali (Task Force Takuba)". Försvarsmakten. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Napolitano, Ardee; Irish, John (14 January 2022). "Sweden to withdraw from French-led special forces mission in Mali". Reuters. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "French Military Says 24 Jihadists Killed in Mali". ABC News. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Un soldat français tué dans un accident d'hélicoptère au Burkina Faso" [French soldier killed in helicopter crash in Burkina Faso]. Le Monde. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "French Forces Kill a Leader of Jihadists in Mali Raid". New York Times. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ^ "Niger: des arrestations lors d'une opération militaire franco-nigérienne" [Niger: arrests during a Franco-Nigerian military operation]. Radio France Internationale. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ^ "Décès d'un soldat des forces spéciales blessé en octobre au Mali" [Death of a wounded special forces soldier wounded in October in Mali]. AFP. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ^ Attaque de Ouagadougou : des forces de sécurité sous-équipées et mal coordonnées, SudOuest.fr, 18 janvier 2016
- ^ Laurent Lagneau, Mali : Les forces françaises ont neutralisé un chef d'al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique, Opex360, 2 mars 2016.
- ^ "Three French soldiers killed in Mali mine blast". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 13 April 2016. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "Mali: un soldat français tué, le groupe Ansar Dine revendique" [Mali: a French soldier killed, the Ansar Dine group claims]. AFP. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ^ Baba Ahmed. "French forces arrest 8 jihadists in northern Mali: Official". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Angers Un hommage émouvant au soldat Julien Barbé tué au Mali" [Angers A moving tribute to soldier Julien Barbé killed in Mali]. Le Courrier de l'ouest. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
- ^ "French soldier killed in 'clash with terrorists' in Mali". France 24. 6 April 2017.
- ^ Mali: attaque à Tombouctou contre les casques bleus et la force Barkhane, RFI, 1 June 2017.
- ^ L'Elysée annonce la mort accidentelle d'un soldat français au Mali, Le Monde avec AFP, 18 June 2017.
- ^ Lamothe, Dan (23 October 2017). "Caught in a deadly ambush, US troops in Niger waited an hour for French air power to arrive". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ "Pentagon acknowledges a second team was on the ground in Niger". CBS News. 26 October 2017.
- ^ "ER-APV Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
- ^ Allen, Ian (16 October 2017). "French Special Forces were on plane that crashed in Ivory Coast, killing 4". intelNews. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
Of the ten people that were on board, four are reportedly dead; six others are seriously hurt. Reports said that the four dead passengers were all Moldovan nationals. Two other Moldovans and four French nationals were injured.
- ^ Mali : 3 soldats français blessés dans un attentat, Le Point avec AFP, 12 janvier 2018.
- ^ "French forces kill at least 10 jihadists in Mali: military sources". News24.com. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Two French soldiers were killed after their armoured vehicle was hit by an explosive device in Mali, the French president's office said on Wednesday". France 24. 3 March 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ "Mali: 15 militants killed in Timbuktu attack". News.com.au. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ "French army patrol attacked in Mali". Australian Associated Press. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ "Mali car bombing kills 4 civilians, wounds 31 others, including soldiers". Australian Associated Press. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ "French forces kill senior jihadist leader in Mali – Xinhua | English.news.cn". xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ "French forces kill JNIM deputy leader El Hamame in Mali, Parly says". The Defense Post. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ "French military doctor killed in Mali". Associated Press. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ "French troops free hostages in Burkina Faso". BBC. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
- ^ "French Gazelle down in North Africa, crew rescued". Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
- ^ "Six Estonian Defence Forces members injured in Mali terrorist attack". ERR News. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "French soldier killed in Mali by roadside bomb in attack claimed by IS group". France 24. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
- ^ "French commando seriously injured in Mali counter-ISIS operation that killed 5 'terrorists' near Indelimane". The Defence Post. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
- ^ "Thirteen French helicopter troops killed in Mali combat operation". Reuters. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "Thirteen French soldiers killed in Mali helicopter accident". France24. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "French army carries out first-ever drone strike during Mali op". France 24. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ "France to send 600 more troops to Africa's Sahel". France 24. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^ "Niger: Déployés durant un mois dans le Liptako, les légionnaires du 2e REP ont mené la vie dure aux jihadistes" [Niger: Deployed for a month in Liptako, the legionnaires of the 2nd REP made life difficult for the jihadists]. opex360.com (in French). 6 March 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- ^ "French Foreign Legion soldier dies from injuries after anti-jihadist operation in Mali". France 24. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "French Foreign Legion soldier dies in combat in Mali". France 24. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "How AQIM leader Abdelmalek Droukdel was killed in Mali". The Africa Report. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "French soldier killed in combat in Mali". France 24. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
- ^ Mali : deux soldats français tués, un autre grièvement blessé, AFP, 5 septembre 2020.
- ^ "Ba Ag Moussa: French forces kill jihadist commander in Mali". today.rtl.lu. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ "French Forces Kill Jihadist Commander Ba Ag Moussa in Mali – The Defense Post". 13 November 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ Leader, Mamouth (11 November 2020). "Le mamouth: Une nouvelle action de Sabre: une HVT ciblée (actualisé)" [The Mammoth: A New Saber Action: Targeted HVT (Updated)]. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ AFP-Agence France Presse. "French Army Says 30 Jihadists Killed In Mali". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ "Mali : une trentaine de jihadistes tués par l'armée française". Franceinfo (in French). 13 November 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ "Nouvelle frappe française au Mali: une vingtaine de GAT éliminés par des Mirage, des hélicoptères et des commandos". lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Lagneau, Laurent (14 November 2020). "Barkhane frappe fort à nouveau en mettant hors de combat "plusieurs dizaines" de jihadistes au Mali". Zone Militaire (in French). Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ "Islamists attack three French military bases in Mali". Reuters. 30 November 2020. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ^ "Three French soldiers killed in Mali IED blast". aljazeera. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ^ "Three French soldiers killed by explosive device in Mali operation". France 24. 28 December 2020.
- ^ "Two French soldiers killed during operation in Mali". France 24. 2 January 2021.
- ^ "Six French soldiers injured in Mali". Anadolu Agency. 10 January 2021.
- ^ Une centaine de djihadistes tués lors d'une opération militaire franco-malienne, Le Monde, 27 janvier 2021.
- ^ "Wedding guests killed in Mali airstrike, local sources say". The Guardian. 3 January 2021.
- ^ "Sahel conflict: France rejects reports of airstrike on Mali wedding". BBC. 5 January 2021.
- ^ "France halts joint army operations with Malian forces over coup". Al-Jazeera. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ Munshi, Neil. "How France lost Mali: failure to quell jihadi threat opens door to Russia". Financial Times. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ "France resumes joint military operations in Mali". Agence France-Presse. Al-Jazeera. 3 July 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ Charlton, Angela; Petesch, Carley; Macpherson, Masha (9 July 2021). "France to pull more than 2,000 troops from Africa's Sahel". Associated Press. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ "French Forces Kill an ISIS Leader in Sahara, Macron Says". The New York Times. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ Charlton, Angela; Ahmed, Baba; Larson, Krista; Petesch, Carley; Mednick, Sam (16 September 2021). "France calls killing of Islamic State leader big victory". Associated Press. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- ^ "French soldier killed in Mali in clash with armed terrorist group". France 24. Reuters. 24 September 2021.
- ^ John Irishand Tiemoko Diallo (17 February 2022). "French military to quit Mali in possible boost to jihadists". Reuters. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "French forces 'neutralize' 40 militants in Burkina Faso". Agence France-Presse, Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Deustche Welle. 12 February 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
- ^ "Barkhane commander visits Chad military base to deploy new equipment". Agence France-Presse, Africanews. Africanews. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ "French army says senior al Qaeda leader killed in Mali". Agence France-Presse. France 24. 7 March 2022.
- ^ Tangi Salaun; Sudip Kar-Gupta (15 June 2022). "France announces capture of senior Islamic State figure in Mali". Reuters. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "Nearly 40 extremists killed in drone strikes in Niger: French military". Associated Press. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
- ^ Dominique Vidalon (16 June 2022). "French army says killed close to 40 militants in strike in Niger". Reuters. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
- ^ "One more French soldier killed in Mali". Xinhua News Agency. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ^ "In Memoriam". Ministère de la Défense. 2 January 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ Carfantan, C.; Goudard, Y.; Butin, C.; Duron-Martinaud, S.; Even, J.P.; Anselme, A.; Dulaurent, E.; Géhant, M.; Vitalis, V.; Bay, C.; Bancarel, J. (4 November 2016). "Forward medevac during Serval and Barkhane operations in Sahel: a registry study". Injury. 48 (1): 58–63. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2016.10.043. PMID 27829492.
- ^ "Barkhane, un an d'opérations" [Barkhane, one year of operations] (PDF). Ministère de la Défense (in French). 10 July 2015. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016.
- ^ François-Xavier Freland, Gal Bernard Barrera: "Barkhane est entrée dans une phase de stabilisation", Jeune Afrique, 17 March 2016. (in French)
- ^ Laurent Lagneau, "Sahel: Le général Bruno Guibert a pris le commandement de la force Barkhane", Opex360.com, 31 July 2017. (in French)
- ^ ""Sahel : plus de 600 djihadistes "neutralisés" par l'armée française depuis 2015"" ["Sahel: more than 600 jihadists "neutralized" by the French army since 2015"]. L'Express avec AFP (in French). 28 February 2019.
- ^ a b Belsoeur, Camille (17 August 2017). "Au Sahel, la colère sourde des populations contre les troupes françaises" [In the Sahel, the muted anger of the populations against the French troops]. Slate.fr (in French). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ a b Mali-Mètre (6 June 2017). "Etude: Les maliens méconnaissent la mission de l'UE et se divisent sur barkhane" [Study: Malians ignore the mission of the EU and are divided on barkhane]. MaliWeb. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ Macé1, Célian (19 December 2019). "Au Mali, le refus du "néocolonialisme"" [In Mali, the refusal of "neocolonialism"]. Libération.fr (in French).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Au Mali, le sentiment antifrançais gagne du terrain" [In Mali, anti-French sentiment is gaining ground]. Le Monde.fr (in French). 10 January 2020.
- ^ Malagardis, Maria (13 June 2019). "Au Mali, "le sentiment antifrançais est à son paroxysme"" [In Mali, "anti-French sentiment is at its peak"]. Libération.fr (in French). Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ magazine, Le Point (10 January 2020). "Mali: un millier de manifestants à Bamako pour réclamer le départ des troupes étrangères" [Mali: a thousand demonstrators in Bamako to demand the departure of foreign troops]. Le Point (in French). Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ Pigeaud, Fanny (1 March 2020). "Présence française en Afrique, le ras-le-bol" [French presence in Africa, fed up]. Le Monde diplomatique (in French). Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ rfi, C3%A9nateurs-fran%C3%A7ais-regret-the-%C3%A9failure-of-barkhane-in-an-open-letter-%C3%A0-emmanuel-macron in an open letter to Emmanuel Macron, RFI, August 8, 2023
- ^ Bovcon, Maja (23 August 2011). "Françafrique and regime theory". European Journal of International Relations. 19 (1): 5–26. doi:10.1177/1354066111413309. S2CID 145093241.
Further reading
edit- Erforth, Benedikt. (2020) "Multilateralism as a tool: Exploring French military cooperation in the Sahel." Journal of Strategic Studies