The French assault force is to start pulling out of Mali next month, as EU military advisors and African soldiers move in, with talk of UN peacekeepers down the line.
French foreign minister Laurent Fabius told the Metro newspaper on Wednesday (6 February) that: "From the beginning of March, if everything goes as planned, the number of French troops will diminish."
He noted that the "first phase" of the campaign, to reconquer north Mali towns from jihadists, is over. But he added...
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Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's Foreign Affairs Editor. He has been writing about foreign and security affairs for EUobserver since 2005. He is Polish but grew up in the UK. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times of London.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's Foreign Affairs Editor. He has been writing about foreign and security affairs for EUobserver since 2005. He is Polish but grew up in the UK. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times of London.