International
France deploys soldiers to Burkina Faso to quell militants’ attacks
The French government has decided to deploy its soldiers to Burkina Faso in a bid to quell consistent attacks by armed militants in the country, which according to reports, occurs almost on a daily basis.
The decision to deploy troops was announced on Tuesday with reports confirming that French and Burkinabe soldiers are to be deployed in the coming days at the border with Mali and Niger, regarded as the hub of operation for several militant groups.
According to reports, Mali, Niger and, increasingly, Burkina Faso have been struggling to contain the spread of armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, especially around the border areas.
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However, it is unclear how many soldiers are to be deployed and for how long, but France’s minister of defence said there is no mission creep even though an estimated 4,500 French soldiers have been deployed to the Sahel region since 2013.
According to reports, this is not the first time that the French have intervened in Burkina Faso, but this latest joint operation is a sign that their presence in the country is growing.
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