French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly announced on Friday that several leaders of the Islamic State in the Sahel were killed or captured in recent weeks by the French Barkhane force and its partners. This comes as France stated on Friday that it would resume joint military operations in Mali after they were suspended earlier last month following the second coup in less than a year in the West African nation.
The Ministry of Armed Forces said in a statement that France decided, after consultations with transitional authorities in Mali and regional countries, to "resume joint military operations as well as national advisory missions that were suspended since June 3." Parly noted that jihadist groups operating in the Sahel region are experiencing further losses in leadership.
The minister mentioned that Abdel Hakim al-Sahrawi, a "well-known figure in the Islamic State in the Sahel" who was notorious for his "strict enforcement of Sharia" and videos showing beheadings, was killed recently. Parly clarified, "We have confirmation that he died in May under circumstances that are still unknown."
On another front, as part of an operation carried out by the Barkhane force alongside Nigerien soldiers and the European Takuba force in June in the expansive areas of the Liptako region spanning Niger and Mali, two leaders of the Islamic State in the Sahel, Sidi Ahmed Ould Mohamed and Wadi Ould Chaib, were arrested.
Additionally, six terrorists were "neutralized," as the minister explained, including Mahmoud Al-Bay, identified as a "leader of a group of fighters affiliated with the Islamic State in the Sahel" in the Menaka region, near the Niger border.
French President Emmanuel Macron decided to end the Barkhane operation targeting jihadists in the Sahel, preferring to participate in an international coalition supporting local forces. This shift carries risks given that the armies in the region remain weak and the challenge of garnering European support is significant.
After eight years of continuous operation in the Sahel, where 5,100 of its military personnel are currently deployed, France aims to transition from frontline counter-jihadism to supporting and assisting (intelligence, drones, fighter planes, etc.). This is a way to reduce risks and compel the countries in the region to take on more responsibility for their own security.
Parly emphasized that "this transition does not mean leaving the Sahel, or that we will slow down our operations to combat terrorism" in the area. She stated, "We collectively, as Europeans, have a responsibility to secure Europe’s southern flank. It is vital not to allow the Sahel region, and Africa more broadly, to become a sanctuary and expansion area for these terrorist groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda."
