Mali’s ruling junta announced Monday night that it was breaking off defense agreements with France and its European partners, a further sign of deteriorating relations between Bamako and its former allies in the fight against jihadists. Making good on a threat that has been waved for months, the military-dominated authorities who came to power by […]
Tag: France
Morocco’s King congratulates President Macron on his re-election
King Mohammed VI has sent his congratulations to French President Emmanuel Macron on his re-election and victory over far-right rival Marine Le Pen. In his message, the Monarch wished Macron success in his mission and hailed the depth of the multidimensional ties existing between the Moroccan and French people. By winning a second […]
Sahara: Italian MPs and Experts Commend Spain’s Stand Supporting Morocco’s Autonomy Plan
Several influential Italian MPs and senators have welcomed Madrid’s backing of the Moroccan autonomy plan offered for the Sahara under its sovereignty, saying it is a forward step towards finding a lasting resolution of the Sahara regional conflict. Commenting on the bold Spanish move in his twitter account, Italian MEP Marco Zanni praised the Spanish […]
Moroccan, French armies wind up military exercise Chergui 2022
The Moroccan and French armies held a new version of their Chergui military exercise in eastern Morocco involving land and air forces. The drills took three weeks in the eastern region of Errachidia focusing on enhancing armies’ interoperability. The exercise is part of the Moroccan army’s efforts to boost readiness amid a surge of threats […]
Moroccan-French Air-Land drills underway in Errachidia Region
Upon the high instructions of King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, a Moroccan-French joint air-land exercise dubbed “Chergui 2022” is underway in the region of Errachidia. The planning of this exercise, running from March 1 through 25, has been jointly conducted by the military officials of […]
Sahara: France reiterates support for Autonomy Plan as serious and credible
France reiterated, Monday, its support to the Morocco-proposed Autonomy Plan as a “serious and credible basis for discussions” for the resolution of the dispute over the Sahara. France’s position on the Sahara is “constant, in favor of a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security […]
Mauritania: An international forum to fight slavery
The fight against slavery in Mauritania “is a constant and irreversible priority” of the authorities, said Wednesday in Nouakchott a senior Mauritanian state official, during a rare authorized meeting on this topic in the country. “The hand of the government is extended to all forums and tribunes, in the legality and the rejection of extremism […]
Senior Al-Qaeda leader, Algerian Yahia Djouadi, killed in Mali – French army
France’s army said Monday that its anti-jihadist force in Mali had killed a senior Algerian member of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Yahia Djouadi, who was responsible for finance and logistics. Djouadi, also known as Abu Ammar al-Jazairi, was killed overnight from February 25 to 26. “On the night of February 25-26, the Barkhane […]
France and its partners confirm a “coordinated withdrawal” from Mali
After a working dinner at the Élysée Palace attended by some thirty African and European leaders, France, its European partners and Canada announced on Thursday, February 17, the withdrawal of military forces from Mali after nine years of military intervention against jihadists. Some 2,500 to 3,000 French soldiers will remain deployed in the Sahel after […]
France will continue to fight terrorism in the Sahel
These statements, made last night on France 5, come a few hours after a video conference meeting of European foreign ministers and on the eve of a meeting between Emmanuel Macron and three of his Sahelian counterparts: Niger’s Mohamed Bazoum, Chad’s Mahamat Idriss Déby and Mauritania’s Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. “The President of the Republic wanted […]