Niger’s Minister of National Defence Karidjo Mahamadou (right) and French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian sign an agreement on the Barkhane operation at the presidential palace in Niamey, as part of Le Drian’s three-day tour of Mali, Niger and Chad. Operation Barkhane is an anti-Islamist operation in Africa’s Sahel region which began in July last year and which includes a 3,000-strong French force.
January 03, 2015 | 10:06 PM