The French military has targeted Islamist militants in northern Mali near the border with Niger and took 15 militants “out of action”, an armed forces spokesman said on Thursday.
The spokesman said the operation involved French Mirage jets, attack helicopters and forces on the ground.
He did not provide details on how many of the 15 militants targeted had been killed or wounded.
NAN reports that on May 19, President Emmanuel Macron on a visit, called on the Malian government to implement the 2015 peace deal, which has repeatedly faltered in the face of inaction and ongoing rivalries between the patchwork of armed groups operating in the north who signed the accord.
France intervened in its former colony in January 2013 to drive out al-Qaeda-linked groups that hijacked a rebellion in 2012 by ethnic Tuaregs and attempted to take control of the central government in Bamako.
France has sent some 4,000 soldiers to the region, while UN peacekeepers have been deployed to ensure Mali’s stability.
However, the UN’s forces have lacked equipment and resources, making a political settlement between Tuaregs and the government in Mali increasingly fragile.
In April, President Ibrahim Keita vowed to continue fighting “terrorist groups” in the country until they engage in serious peace talks.
In recent months, joint patrols by fighters from the various armed factions and the Malian security forces have helped restore confidence, but tensions remain high.
French officials have acknowledged that Paris is likely to have to keep its forces in the region for an indefinite period.
Diplomats said Macron wants to fine-tune policy to ensure countries were also given more help to develop, rather than just focusing on security aspects.(Reuters/NAN)
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