French President Backs France Withdrawal From Sahel

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Sahel region of Africa has been prone to unending militia attacks. The resurgence of these insurgencies has left individuals fearful and depressed. Some have even fled their homes to live as refugees in neighboring countries.

France Pulls Out Support

On Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron of French announced that he was supporting the withdrawal of some France troops from the Sahel. He said that France could adjust its operations to curb the Islamist militia who had dominated the region. Furthermore, the arrival of more European forces even made it more comfortable.

“The results obtained by our forces in the Sahel, combined with the more significant intervention of our European partners, will allow us to adjust our effort, “

Macron said, referring to the arrival of special forces from various European Union countries in recent months.

For some time now, France has been leading in fighting Islamic militia in the region. Together with the other Sahel states, they allied to end the attacks. The former colonial power had supplied the area with the largest military. As such, it has been on the frontline in curbing the insurgencies. French troops have been leading anti militia operations in Mali and the Sahel region at large.

Last year, Paris boosted its troops by adding 600 more soldiers to the Sahel. The reinforcements came in handy during the Barkhane counter-terrorism operations.

“The temporary reinforcements that I decided to deploy have enabled the Barkhane force to put in great difficulty terrorist groups, which find themselves cornered and reduced to cowardly acts, ” Macron said in his annual new year wishes to the military.

Although President Macron celebrates their current achievement against the rebels, the situation in the Sahel is still fragile. The insurgents still occupy some parts of Sahel and are always about plotting harm. Just this year, five French soldiers succumbed after a militia attack. Four United Nations peacemakers also died last week after a rebel ambush.

The Militia Attacks

Militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic states have strengthened their networks across the region, making the Sahel their territory. They have successfully recruited young men dealing with the ethnic difference from Mali, Burkina Faso, etc. Reports are the militia are using ethnic differences to convince the young men to join their groups. Since the onset of the militia attacks, ethnic violence has also been on the rise.

Most of the militia attacks occur in the remote parts of Sahel. That is because such regions are deserted with limited security. They are easy to access and attack, mainly since they are inhabited mostly by vulnerable populations of women, older men, and children. Occasionally when the rebels stage attacks, they kill people, lynch homes, steal property, rape, and even abducted. They usually kidnap to demand ransom or free one of those detained by government forces.

Despite Macron’s announcement, France’s withdrawal from the Sahel is not yet confirmed. Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly stated that Macron and regional heads of state would discuss the issue at a summit in Chad next month. Meanwhile, an opinion poll revealed that the majority of the French people oppose the Barkhane counter-terrorism operations. Therefore President Macron is under pressure considering he might seek the presidency again come 2022.