French Defense Minister Florence Barley announced on Sunday that her country has decided to deploy 600 additional soldiers, within what is known as the "Barkhan" force in the African Sahel region by the end of February.
With this measure, the number of French forces in the Sahel region will increase from 4,500 today to 5,100.
The French minister said in a statement that these military reinforcements will be deployed in the region between Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad "with the aim of narrowing the screws on the jihadist groups" as described.
And added that "another part of these reinforcements will participate directly within the forces of the group of five coastal states (Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritania) to accompany them in the fighting."
A military source said that about 100 vehicles of heavy and light armored vehicles and logistical equipment will accompany the additional soldiers.
What France has described as "jihadist groups" has intensified its attacks in this region for months, causing heavy losses to the local armies, and France itself lost 13 soldiers last November in a collision between two helicopters during a military operation in the region.
Since then, France has sought to bolster its forces in the region, which its opponents see as drowning and at the same time criticizing public opinion in Africa.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced during a summit with the leaders of the five Sahel countries last January to reinforce the "Barkhan" force by an additional 220 soldiers, before returning and increasing the number to 600 additional soldiers.
A military source told Agence France-Presse that "an effective review" of this military buildup will take place within six months, and that "the president wants a result," noting the necessity of "the return of governance" to a vast vast desert area largely neglected by the central authorities of the countries.