U.S. drones to be based in Niger as militants scatter.
The government in Niamey has given the green light for the U.S. drones to operate from the territory of Niger, in the context of current military operations in neighbouring Mali.The decision has been expected for sometime and the United States is already operating light aircraft reconnaisance in the region according to press reports.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/U-S-drones-to-b...
According to a highly placed source in Niger, President Issoufou has given the green light earlier this week in U.S. drone deployment. It was on the occasion of an appointment with the U.S. ambassador in Niamey. According to the same source, the unmanned aircraft will be stationed in the desert region of Agadez, RFI reports.
The decision comes as French Ministerof Defence Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the jihadists had scattered, marking a "turning-point" in France's intervention.The militants had made a "tactical withdrawal to the Adrar des Ifoghas", the mountainous region east of Kidal covering some 250,000 sq km (96,525 sq miles), he said.
He also spoke of the need to send a UN peace keeping force to Mali. The risks and the fighting had not ended, he cautioned.His comments come as the French troops continue to secure Kidal, the last town occupied by militants.Col Thierry Burkhard said the "fairly significant" targets had been hit in the Aguelhok mountains near the Algerian border, reports AFP.
African forces from Ecowas are now expected to take control over in the cities in the north of Mali and the International Support Mission to Mali (Afisma), will root out the al-Qaeda-linked insurgents that have fled into the desert and mountains further north.
The decision comes as French Ministerof Defence Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the jihadists had scattered, marking a "turning-point" in France's intervention.The militants had made a "tactical withdrawal to the Adrar des Ifoghas", the mountainous region east of Kidal covering some 250,000 sq km (96,525 sq miles), he said.
He also spoke of the need to send a UN peace keeping force to Mali. The risks and the fighting had not ended, he cautioned.His comments come as the French troops continue to secure Kidal, the last town occupied by militants.Col Thierry Burkhard said the "fairly significant" targets had been hit in the Aguelhok mountains near the Algerian border, reports AFP.
African forces from Ecowas are now expected to take control over in the cities in the north of Mali and the International Support Mission to Mali (Afisma), will root out the al-Qaeda-linked insurgents that have fled into the desert and mountains further north.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/U-S-drones-to-b...