France and the United States strengthen their anti-jihadist cooperation

Published on : 07/10/2021 – 12:37

French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly and her American counterpart Lloyd Austin signed a new roadmap for cooperation between their special forces in Washington on Friday July 9, as the two countries seek to strengthen international efforts in the anti-jihadist struggle.

The signing of this convention and the visit of Florence Parly come at a time when the United States is withdrawing from Afghanistan and France is reducing its military presence in the Sahel.

“Signature with Lloyd Austin of a convention to strengthen the cooperation of our special forces. Faced with terrorism, our special forces have developed a real brotherhood of arms,” ​​said Florence Parly in a tweet after the meeting.

“This convention will deepen the exceptional links that have been forged,” she said, without giving further details on its nature.

The text does not relate to a specific region, said Pentagon spokesman Anton Semelroth, the two countries being engaged in the anti-jihadist struggle in very different theaters.

“US support for our operations in the Sahel is crucial”

US President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that America’s longest war would soon end, with his troops withdrawing permanently from Afghanistan by August 31.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France would start closing bases in northern Mali in the second half of 2021, as part of the announced reduction of its military presence in the Sahel.

But Washington and Paris do not want to abandon their efforts in the area of ​​counterterrorism.

During an exchange with the Atlantic Council think tank after her visit to the Pentagon, Florence Parly cited Operation Takuba, a European special forces unit supposed to train the Malian army in combat against the jihadists, as a “remarkable and concrete example. “cooperation.

“US support for our operations in the Sahel is crucial,” she added.

Citing other joint missions carried out in recent years, she said: “Our operational cooperation is yielding concrete results. And it will continue to do so.”

With AFP