Five Sahel countries — Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso — on Monday launched their second anti-terrorist operation in the troubled region, after talks in Paris with their partner France.
After the discussions between the defence ministers of the so-called G5 Sahel and their French counterpart, no details were released about the new operation for "security reasons".
"We are moving forward … the joint force is gaining momentum … the first operation has taken place, the second one is starting today," Malian defence minister Tiena Coulibaly told a press conference alongside his G5 counterparts and French defence minister, Florence Parly.
The force has been operating, with French backing, to re-establish control in lawless frontier regions in the Sahel, south of the Sahara, where terrorist groups have been able to flourish.
"Jihadist groups are extremely mobile. However, we have observed a particularly critical area, the 'tri-border' area, which is why G5 Sahel forces are focusing efforts there," said Ms Parly
The "tri-border" area is where the frontiers of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso converge, and where the first G5 Sahel force operation Hawbi took place in November with French support.
At Monday's meeting, the African nations also agreed on a road map to speed up deployments of the force and to "strengthen staffing before the spring", said Ms Parly.
The initiative aims to create a force of 5,000 troops by mid-2018.
Read more: Saudi, UAE head to Paris to offer helping hand to West Africa force
The G5 Sahel countries have been hit by militant attacks that began in Nigeria, claiming thousands of lives, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, crippling local economies and worsening food security.
The G5 Sahel force is intended to work alongside France's 4,000 Barkhane troops, which deployed to Mali in 2013, and the UN's 12,000-strong Minusma peacekeeping operation in Mali.
But the five participating countries — all former French colonies — are among the poorest in the world and their militaries are poorly equipped.
France is leading efforts to drum up funding.
So far, €294 million has been pledged, led by €100m committed by Saudi Arabia.
That sum has enabled the first phase of operations. Another round of funding talks takes place in Brussels on February 23.
Read more: Sahel force funding shows Saudi 'serious' on terrorism fight, Analysts say
In an interview on Monday with the French daily Liberation, Ms Parly said a key goal of the G5 Sahel plan was to ease dependence on French forces, enabling them to pare back their presence in the Sahel.
"The Africans themselves say it — this security problem is first and foremost their problem," she said.
On Friday, a group claiming to be from the so-called ISIL organisation said the various groups in the Sahel were teaming up to fight the G5 force.
"We are joining hands to fight the miscreants," said a spokesman for the group, which calls itself the ISIL in the Great Sahara.
Western security and military sources have recently said they have detected stepped-up co-operation on the ground among the various extremist groups in Sahel.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Read more about the coronavirus
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Scorline
Iraq 1-0 UAE
Iraq Hussein 28’
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
