France to intensify effort to ‘decapitate’ al-Qaeda-linked groups in Sahel: Macron
February 16, 2021, 11:14 am

France to intensify effort to ‘decapitate’ al-Qaeda-linked groups in Sahel: Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks at The Elysee Palace in Paris. (AFP)

France will intensify its efforts to help “decapitate” Qaeda-linked groups in the Sahel, President Emmanuel Macron told regional leaders via video conference on Tuesday.

He also urged the so-called G5 Sahel nations – Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger – to expand their own anti-terror fight and work on restoring government control and services in areas where extremist fighters operate.

“We are re-engaging our forces in order to decapitate these organisations,” Macron said during a two-day summit in the Chadian capital of N’Djamena.

He did not mention any drawdown of France’s 5,100-troop Barkhane operation in the region, after French losses in extremist attacks prompted calls for a review of the mission.

Macron said the efforts would focus on combatting the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and in particular one of its main armed groups, Katiba Macina.

The aim is “to strengthen actions against terrorism” while also carrying out a “political jolt... give the people of the Sahel something to hope for,” he said.

He said it was essential for states fighting extremists to win public support for counter-insurgency efforts.

“We have succeeded in gaining some real successes in the three-border zone,” Macron said, referring to a flashpoint area where the frontiers of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso converge.

“The GSIM enemy has lost its hold and sustained numerous losses.”

“The international mobilization for the Sahel has never been as strong,” he said.

The GSIM has claimed responsibility for some of the biggest attacks in the Sahel since its official launch in 2017. It was placed on a US blacklist of terrorist organisations in September 2018.

One of its main components is the Katiba Macina, led by a radical preacher, Amadou Koufa, who comes from the Fulani, also called Peul, community.

He launched attacks in central Mali, an ethnic powderkeg, recruiting largely among members of his own community.

As a result, the wider Fulani community in the region became tarred with the attacks carried out by the Katiba Macina.

Other ethnic groups, notably the Dogon and Bambara, then formed so-called self-defense forces, setting the scene for bloody tit-for-tat violence.

source: AFP

Image source: AFP

Levant

TikTok faced with several complaints from EU consumer groups Hong Kong to ease COVID-19 restrictions

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”