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Opération “Barkhane”

Le petit caporal

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Barkhane: from what I understand (mes tuyaux, médias, déclarations of various politicians and ex-généraux à la retraite and now wannabe councilors, all agree), Barkhane is here to stay minimum 5 years... or more !
As Barkhane, cover several countries, it seems to me appropriate to extend into a thread on its own, just saying.

Niger: Tongo Tongo
The Pentagone Inquiry of the death of 4 American (green berets) and 5 Nigerien soldiers, at Tongo Tongo in Oct 2017 is now completed (6 300 pages). Will be published soon, next few days. The Wall street journal, gives an indication on what the report will reveal. Lack of reconnaissance and too much arrogance by command (on the zone).
1 of the officiers, forged, pasted and stick, an older mission order. The zone, Tango Tango was infested with Jihadists (lack of reconnaissance)

Gao : 800 Americains (militaire, civil and contractors, approx) with renforcements to follow, building the soon to be, air strip and a base for the Reaper drone
Source : RFI Afrique

Burkina Faso bans the sale of army surplus to civilians. In the attack on Barkhane and UN troops recently, the assaillants were disguised as troops. Also, because of bandits.
 

Rapace

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Barkhane: from what I understand (mes tuyaux, médias, déclarations of various politicians and ex-généraux à la retraite and now wannabe councilors, all agree), Barkhane is here to stay minimum 5 years... or more ! (...)
Remember Opération Épervier. Launched to help then Chadian Pdt Hissène Habré to fight back Libyan incursions in his country, to support their ‘protégé’ Goukouni Oueddeye. Started in Feb 1986 and remained active until Aug 2014, when it was replaced by the broader Opération Barkhane, so 28 years in total. Épervier came after another operation, code-named Manta in 1983-84.
 

Le petit caporal

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I remember both but only did Épervier (have you ever heard of the battle of Kalait... Middle of no where, was in 86 if am correct).

Barkhane : the most optimist say at least 5 years will be necessary, middle of the roaders, say 10 and the pessimist are saying 15, and even then...

Wannabes : if you join this is what and where, you will be going and doing. So pay attention.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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I can't begin to imagine how long it will last. When I was working in Bamako, the “barbus” (bearded), managed to escape from the prison which was, at the time, very near to the Swedish embassy. A lot of them just mingled into the crowd. In the north they just herd a few goats, pretend that their French is poor and speak to the interpreter. Mali is huge, but everyone knows everyone in the sparse community,
The interpreter is getting paid to translate, he knows that his family are at risk. The same as the café “La Terrasse” not too far from the Canadian embassy. A night club visited by Canadians and patrolled by Mali police. Only on the night of the attack, the police were otherwise ‘engaged’.
 

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(...) Barkhane : the most optimist say at least 5 years will be necessary, middle of the roaders, say 10 and the pessimist are saying 15, and even then... (...)
Again I totally agree. I guess that's never ending war like mid east becoming. Some wars in Africa will last probably forever. Operations will change names, maybe even perpetrators will change, but war will stay for long time. I mean I don't know much about it, I ask what are goals in operation Barkhane? Are there clearly defined? And most Important is there plan or even possible way how that could be done?
I mean, military goals could be achieved if enough money, men power and effort is invested, but there's more to it. You also fight ideology, poverty and certain culture and mentality of people there.

I would always remember wards of one commandant of Yugoslav army in Kosovo operations (1998) before NATO intervention (and he was not a fan of Milošević, so I'm taking his word neutral as they can be). He said that Yugoslavia because of much more weapons, trained men etc. managed to control big centers, main roads and 400m around, everything else was controlled by terrorists. Simply there is no way that war could won. Now compare Kosovo and Mali or Afghanistan on map!
 

Le petit caporal

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Algeria / Morocco, are using Mali to settle old scores. Algeria (non officially of course) supports the “Front Polisario” by supplying weapons, that they receive from Iran. It is in Mali that members of the Polisario take refuge, re-equip and plan their strategy against Morocco. The
Front Polisario, fight for the disputed territory called, Sahrawi (bordering Algeria Morocco Mauritanie), in Western Sahara.
Morocco to receive 150 Abrams tanks from USA and have recieved 250 last June and is considered NATO friendly.
 

Le petit caporal

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Small arms and munitions
And the Africain union condems Irans (+ Algerias) invovlment (both deny, of course)
Plenty of médias talking about it too
 

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(...) Front Polisario, fight for the disputed territory called, Sahrawi (bordering Algeria Morocco Mauritanie), in Western Sahara. (...)
The Front Polisario is claiming rights over the former Spanish colony called Spanish Sahara, with the provinces of Seguia el-Hamra in the North and Rio de Oro in the South. It's shown in red on the map below with legend in French “Sahara espagnol”. Spanish Sahara voted for their independence from Spain in 1975 and Morocco then immediately tried to annex it (the so-called “Green March” in Nov 75), claiming old links between the two territories and opposing the Polisario who on the other hand decided the creation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which is not recognised officially by the UN. Algeria, who didn't want to see their archrival Morocco become too big a country, opposed the annexation and supported politically and, covertly, militarily the Polisario. 42+ years later, little has changed...

1525798345966.png
 

Le petit caporal

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Would be cool if some one can post up a map of a larger scale,including Barkhane terrority
 

Le petit caporal

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(...) What types of weapon, Russian? If it is made in NATO then is most likely just propaganda.
SAMs 9 & 11s and Strellas. Iran is the main energy supplier for China which provides financial aid to the Sahwari refugees camps in Algeria.

Nice one Snafu. Get the picture better now.
 

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France will never leave so-called “Françafrique”. There are too many economic and political interests at stake. The names will change, the missions will remain the same.
The only way French troops aren't in the Sahel is if they are dragged out like in Algeria or Indochina.
 

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France will never leave so-called “Françafrique”. There are too many economic and political interests at stake. The names will change, the missions will remain the same.
The only way French troops aren't in the Sahel is if they are dragged out like in Algeria or Indochina.
Yes, and they planning to increase influence and presence in former colonies.
 

Le petit caporal

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Barkhane to be reinforced by a contingent of 50 Estonian troops, 36 infantry, 6 support (translators and others). They will be deployed at Gao and used for security purposes (might be for the future US Drone base being built?)

source : BNS agence presse Estonian
 

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This also with google translate:
Depuis fin avril, soldats maliens et soldats français patrouillent côte à côte dans la ville de Ménaka et vont à la rencontre des populations. Dans ce contexte, deux patrouilles ont eu lieu le 28 avril et le 2 mai pour assurer la sécurité des habitants et aller à leur contact.



Les véhicules des forces armées maliennes sont entrés les premiers dans la ville suivis par les véhicules blindés (VBCI) français. Avant chaque patrouille, un briefing est réalisé entre les deux unités pour se coordonner.
Côte à côte pour patrouiller dans les différents points clefs de la ville, les soldats restent vigilants à toute forme d’indice révélant la présence d’activité terroriste. Ils vont également au contact de la population, sensible à l’attention des militaires pour leurs préoccupations du quotidien. Les habitants n’hésitent pas à échanger avec les soldats et leur transmettre des informations. Ils s’accordent sur les effets bénéfiques de la présence de la force Barkhane à Ménaka. « La sécurité s’est considérablement améliorée. Aujourd’hui, nous pouvons dormir tranquillement » témoigne un habitant.
Menées en concomitance avec les actions civilo-militaires qui ramènent progressivement l’eau et l’électricité dans la région, les patrouilles conjointes à Ménaka assurent une sécurité pérenne et posent ainsi les bases d’un retour à une vie normale pour une population qui aspire à vivre en paix et commercer librement.
Conduite par les armées françaises, en partenariat avec les pays du G5 Sahel, l’opération Barkhane a été lancée le 1er août 2014. Elle repose sur une approche stratégique fondée sur une logique de partenariat avec les principaux pays de la bande sahélo-saharienne (BSS) : Mauritanie, Mali, Niger, Tchad et Burkina-Faso. Elle regroupe environ 4 500 militaires dont la mission consiste à lutter contre les groupes armés terroristes et à soutenir les forces armées des pays partenaires afin qu’elles puissent prendre en compte cette menace notamment dans le cadre de la force conjointe du G5 Sahel en cours d’opérationnalisation.




Since late April, Malian soldiers and French soldiers patrol side by side in the city of Menaka and go to meet the people. In this context, two patrols took place on April 28 and May 2 to ensure the safety of residents and to contact them.

The vehicles of the Malian armed forces entered the city first, followed by French armored vehicles (VBCI). Before each patrol, a briefing is conducted between the two units to coordinate.

Side by side to patrol the various key points of the city, the soldiers remain vigilant to any form of index revealing the presence of terrorist activity. They are also in contact with the population, sensitive to the attention of the military for their daily concerns. The inhabitants do not hesitate to exchange with the soldiers and transmit information to them. They agree on the beneficial effects of the presence of the Barkhane force in Menaka. "Security has improved considerably. Today we can sleep peacefully, "says a resident.

Conducted in conjunction with the civil-military actions that gradually bring back water and electricity in the region, the joint patrols in Ménaka ensure long-term security and thus lay the foundations for a return to a normal life for a population that aspires to live in peace and trade freely.

Led by the French armies, in partnership with the G5 Sahel countries, Operation Barkhane was launched on August 1, 2014. It is based on a strategic approach based on a logic of partnership with the main countries of the Sahel-Saharan region ( BSS): Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina-Faso. It brings together around 4,500 military personnel whose mission is to fight against armed terrorist groups and to support the armed forces of partner countries so that they can take this threat into account, notably within the framework of the joint G5 Sahel force currently under way.
 
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