Malian President meets leaders of French forces in Bamako
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Thursday met in Bamako with General Pascal Facon, Commander of Barkane Force and General Gregory de Saint-Quentin, deputy chief of operations of the armed forces, who were accompanied by the French ambassador to Mali, Mr. Joel Meyer.
An official source told PANA on Friday that the Malian president and the leaders of the French Barkane force established in the Sahel states (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad) to fight against terrorism, notably discussed the security situation in Mali marked by jihadist attacks and community conflicts.
The attacks and conflicts have claimed hundreds of military and civilian lives despite the joint actions often carried out by Barkane and the Malian armed forces.
General Facon took the opportunity to report to President IBK on their activities.
"Barkane's cooperation with the Malian armed forces is robust, effective with all partners such as MINUSMA, the European Union Mission (EUTM), the G5-Sahel joint force, all partners in the region on regional and border security", said Facon.
Presenting his "saddened" condolences to the Malian president, following the recent terrorist attacks in Mondoro and Boulkessi, in central Mali, which killed some 40 soldiers, left dozens wounded and others disappeared, the commander of Barkane forces assured IBK of the solidarity and support of Barkane to the Malian armed forces.
"The fight against terrorism is hard, it will be won," he said, adding that to win this fight "it is probably necessary to harden again, to believe that it is possible, to be determined, hoping for victory, to take the blow and know how to get up and keep fighting and in the end, win."
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Defence and Veterans, General Ibrahim Dahirou Dembélé and the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, General Abdoulaye Coulibaly.
-0- PANA GT/TBM/KND/AR 11Oct2019
