France launches new anti-ISIS force in Sahel region

Ahmed Adel

France pins a lot of hope on the Takuba multinational force to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the Sahel region.

The force has already seen Czech, Swedish and Estonian troops deployed in the region.

Meeting of senior commanders

Mali’s interim president Bah Ndaw met French Minister of Defense Florence Parly on April 1, along with the ministers of defense of the Czech Republic and Estonia who started an official visit to his country on the same day.

These defense ministers will meet a host of Malian officials during their visit, according to an official source.

Statement

The French Ministry of Defense said in a statement that the defense ministers visiting Mali would announce the official launch of the Takuba multinational force which will fight ISIS in the African Sahel region.

This force will fight the terrorist organization along with the Barkhane force, the ministry said.

It added that the visiting ministers would ensure the operational power of the new force during their visit.

African Sahel countries are in grave danger because of the growing presence of ISIS and other terrorist organizations in them.

The same terrorist organizations pose threats to Western interests in these countries.

Takuba force

The states participating in the Takuba force will fight terrorism in the Sahel region, especially in Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Nigeria. These are countries where terrorist groups are most active.

They will fight these terrorist groups along with elitist forces from the same countries.

The new force has 500 French soldiers at its core, and is expected to grow to 2,000 troops, who are to operate in close cooperation with the national armies of the region.