Thousands of French soldiers fighting jihadists in Mali will soon be coming home — raising fresh doubts about European military resolve amid heightened tensions with Russia.
Some 2,400 French soldiers in the so-called Barkhane mission and 600 troops from a mix of EU countries in the so-called Takuba operation in Mali will pack up their bases and fly out over the next six months, French president Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday morning (17 February).
Barkhane and Takuba are the...
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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.