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 editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.