French air-strikes in Mali that killed 50 extremists

French defence minister Florence Parly announced that airstrikes by France had neutralised over 50 Al-Qaeda-linked extremists in Mali.

Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2020

Key-Points

The curiosity was built on the backdrop of speculations that these strikes could have been directly connected to the recent terror attack in France. But the French operation in the African region has a long and consistent geo-political history.

French forces have previously carried out similar bombings using fighter jets as well as Tiger helicopters in the African region.

In February 2019, French fighters struck a column of over three dozen pickup trucks and in July 2019, light aircrafts and attack helicopters targeted suspected insurgents who were hiding under trees.

The French skin in the Sahen (region of Africa extending from Senegal eastward to Sudan) Game is visible by its ongoing operation ‘BARKHANE’ which is the largest French military operation outside France with 4,500 troops.

With the aim to control armed rebellion by various extremist outfits in the region, the operation is in its seventh year with no signs of completion.