Rethinking Francophone Africa

Critical perspectives

Chad withdraws from anti-jihadi operations outside its national territory

Posted on 14th April 2020 by Francophone Africa

Shortly after 100 Chadian soldiers were killed in a sophisticated attack by Boko Haram, the Chadian President Idriss Deby declared that it will withdraw anti-jihadi operations outside its national territory: “Our troops have died for Lake Chad and the Sahel. From today, no Chadian soldiers will take part in a military mission outside Chad”.

International Crisis Group

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Updates on Mali and Sahel

Posted on 1st April 2020 by Francophone Africa

UN human rights chief says the underlying problem in Mali is poverty: Au Sahel, la fin du djihadisme passera aussi par la lutte contre la pauvreté et les inégalités (Bachelet

Meanwhile with the US threatening withdrawal, an article in the New York Times underlines the dilemma facing the French Operation Barkhane in the western Sahel: fighting an unwinnable war but unable to leave. As ICG analyst Hannah Armstrong puts it: “In the same way that French reality TV and pop music is 15 years behind the U.S., French counterterrorism mimics U.S. counterterrorism of 15 years ago. In the Sahel, the Americans have already realized this is a losing battle.”