Macron pays tribute to French and local troops, shares Xmas dinner in Ivory Coast

Record ID: 1449419

  • Title: Macron pays tribute to French and local troops, shares Xmas dinner in Ivory Coast
  • Date: 20th December 2019
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (DECEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON AND FRENCH DEFENCE MINISTER, FLORENCE PARLY, STANDING FOR NATIONAL ANTHEM FRENCH SOLDIERS / MACRON AND PARLY INSPECTING TROOPS
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2020 21:32
  • Keywords: Alassane Ouattara Emmanuel Macron French army French troops Ivory Coast Operation Barkhane Sahel soldiers
  • Location: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
  • City: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA001BAS4XTZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute on Friday (December 20) to fallen French and local troops fighting against Islamist militants in the Sahel region, after meeting soldiers returning from deployment in the region at the Port-Bouet military camp in Ivory Coast.
    France, a former colonial power, is the only Western country with a significant military presence waging counter-insurgency operations in Mali and the wider Sahel region south of the Sahara desert.
    After the death of 13 soldiers in late November, Macron ordered the military to review its operations against Islamist militants in West Africa and pressed his allies to do more.
    France intervened in Mali in 2013 to repel insurgents advancing out of northern strongholds into central Mali. There are now 4,500 French troops in the wider region, as part of "operation Barkhane", named after a crescent-shaped sand dune.
    "Barkhane is a vital mission for France. We will continue to fight against jihadist terrorists, we will continue to do it with our African, European and international partners," Macron said during a speech to French soldiers before sitting down to a Christmas dinner.
    The leaders of five Sahel nations are due to attend a summit in Paris on January 13.
    (Production: Clotaire Achi, Media Coulibaly and Pascale Antonie)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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