French troops kill 33 militants in Mali

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that French forces have killed 33 militants in an operation in Mali. 

The president made the announcement during a visit to the Ivory Coast, where he reaffirmed France’s commitment to fighting jihadists in West Africa. 

Mr Macron said the terrorists were killed on Saturday in an operation in Mali’s Mopti region. In all, 33 terrorists were neutralised, one imprisoned, and two Malian soldiers who had been taken hostage were freed. 

It comes after 13 French troops died in a helicopter crash in Mali last month - the biggest loss of life for its military in a single day since the 1980s. 

Thousands of French troops have been deployed to Mali since 2013, when Islamist militants began to overrun parts of the country. With France’s help, the Malian army has recaptured the territory, but insecurity persists with the violence now spreading to neighbouring countries.

Some 4,500 French troops serve as part of Operation Barkhane, supporting the forces of Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad. 

Speaking in the Ivory Coast on Friday, Mr Macron vowed to give “new force” to the fight against Islamists militants in the Sahel. This was as West African leaders began a meeting in Nigeria to discuss how to combat the spread of jihadist violence. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has described the islamist insurgency as the greatest threat to the region. 

In January, the leaders of five Sahel nations are expected to attend a summit in Paris. Mr Macron has said he will clarify the “political and strategic framework” of the operation against militants in West Africa at the summit. 

Photo credit: Reuters