France’s head of state, Emmanuel Macron, has criticised the announced America’s withdrawal from the War in Syria. “An ally, it is guilty to be reliable,” said Macron on Sunday after a Meeting with his counterpart from Chad, Idriss Déby. To be “allies, that is, to fight shoulder-to-shoulder.”
The United States had announced on Wednesday their withdrawal from Syria, where France is involved militarily in the anti-terror fight. “I deeply regret the decision that was taken in Syria,” said Macron in N’djamena. He praised the American Secretary of defense James Mattis, who will be leaving because of disagreements with President Donald Trump by the end of this year, his Post as a reliable conversation partner. Mattis had actually announced to stay until the end of February, in the office, but Trump chose him for the coming year for Patrick Shanahan replaced.
Macron had previously highlighted the “exemplary cooperation” of his country with the Americans in the Sahel region. The 41-year-old President of France in the Region progress in the fight against terrorism. In front of about 1000 French soldiers, he said, they would have weakened the “radical Islamist groups”. He mentioned the use in the West African state of Mali, where French soldiers, according to media reports from the end of November at least 30 suspected militants were killed. The head of state also highlighted the European allies in the Region, these were the UK, Spain, Germany and Estonia.
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In large Parts of the Sahel – an area know to the South of the Sahara, stretching from the Atlantic to the Red sea are terrorist groups, and criminal networks active. For the French military operation “Barkhane” are mobilized around 4500 soldiers. Macron called on the soldiers, the establishment of a joint force of the so-called G5-Sahel States of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad to help. This military troop to fight against terrorism and organised crime. “The next months will be crucial,” said Macron.
The Chad is fighting on several fronts against terrorism. Not far from the capital, N’djamena of Chad and the troubled border area with Nigeria, where the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram is up to mischief. Germany and France hope to gain from the anti-terrorist fight in the Sahel area, more security for Europe and a decrease in illegal Migration. Germany is involved with around 850 soldiers to the UN peacekeeping mission to stabilise Mali. Soldiers to the EU Training mission in Mali.
