New Delhi: Days after French President Emmanuel Macron called out the Islamic extremism for dastardly acts of terror at Nice Church, the French forces launched a massive assault on jihadi outfits in Central Mali.
Cracking down on terror-hideouts in Mali, French military pounced on them with missiles and drones. French Mirage fighter jets and drones bombarded the region, which has become the refuge of Al-Qaeda militants and jihadists. More than 50 Islamic terrorists were killed in the attack by French air force.
The offensive took place on Friday in an area near the borders of Burkina Faso and Niger, where government troops are struggling to rout an Islamic insurgency, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said.
“Four terrorists have been captured,” French military spokesman Colonel Frederic Barbry said after the operation.
As the French air force pounced on insurgents, they sought to take cover under trees and escape the attack. The French forces then brought in 2 Mirage fighter jets and drone to launch missiles. 50 jihadi terrorists were neutralised it the French operation while around 30 motorcycles were destroyed.
French military spokesman Colonel Frederic Barbry said another operation, this time targeting the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, was also underway, with a total of 3,000 soldiers.
Mali has been struggling to contain a brutal jihadist insurgency which first emerged in the country in 2012, overtaking rebellion by mostly ethnic Tuareg separatists. Vast swathes of Mali lie outside effective government control.
