French defense minister sees progress against Mali terrorism
In an interview with Al-Monitor, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian speaks about French involvement in Mali and the Central African Republic.
French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian says that the capacities of armed terrorist groups in Mali have "considerably declined as a result of eight months of military and stabilization operations conducted by the French army, the forces of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and the Malian armed forces."
Le Drian, who previously served as president of the Brittany region, was appointed defense minister by French President Francois Hollande in May 2012.
In January 2013, in response to a request from former Malian President Dioncounda Traore, the French government sent troops to fight armed terrorist groups that had besieged the country.
Le Drian believes that France has both a commitment and an obligation to help allied African nations in their struggles against Islamic extremism and in support of democracy. In the Central African Republic, where France has also sent troops, he said, "The situation … did not achieve the prospected serenity yet."
