PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday urged West African leaders to step up efforts in the fight against Islamic extremists in the Sahel region both on the military and political fronts, with support from the international community.
Macron joined by video from Paris Tuesday a summit held in N’Djamena, Chad with the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger and Mauritania. “The challenge of the N’Djamena summit is to take a next step, further and stronger,” Macron said. “We must not release pressure on terrorist groups." He said military operations should keep focusing on the three-border zone between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, the epicenter of the fight against jihadist groups.