France/Sahel Region – France to pull more than 2,000 troops from Africa’s Sahel region (Al Jazeera)

France will soon begin reshaping its military presence in the Sahel region of West Africa and will ultimately halve it, President Emmanuel Macron has said.

Macron announced last month that he would start removing much of the 5,100-member Barkhane force in the Sahel after eight years of helping local forces stave off the threat from armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).

France to pull more than 2,000 troops from Africa’s Sahel region | Burkina Faso News | Al Jazeera

French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum (L) wait for the start of a video summit with leaders of G5 Sahel countries [Stephane De Sakutin/Pool/ AFP]