France

US tops global arms exporter list, India leads importers

The United States was the world's biggest arms exporter in 2013-17, while India imported the most weapons, according to a new SIPRI report

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Army helicopters crash in southern France, killing 5 officers

Five French Army officers were killed on Friday when a pair of army helicopters crashed in southern France.

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UK announces deployment of additional Chinook helicopters to Mali ahead of Macron visit

The UK will send three additional Chinook helicopters to Mali for French counter-terrorism operations, the UK government said

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French wives of ISIS fighters press charges over Syria detention

Wives and children of ISIS fighters captured in Syria filed a legal complaint against French authorities for refusing to repatriate them, lawyers announced

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UK “not involved” in Syrian Border Security Force

Updated January 16 The United Kingdom is not involved in the new Syrian Border Security Force set up by the U.S.-led Coalition against Islamic State and the Syrian Democratic Forces, a foreign ministry spokesperson said. “We are not involved in this particular line of Coalition effort. We remain clear that liberated areas must have long-term, legitimate and inclusive local governance and security structures,” a U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson told The Defense Post on Tuesday, January 16. On Saturday, CJTF-OIR Public Affairs Officer Colonel Thomas F. Veale told The Defense Post that the Coalition and SDF were working jointly to train the 30,000-strong Syrian border security force. The BSF will be partly composed of veteran fighters and operate under the leadership of the SDF, the backbone of which is made of the People’s Protection Units (YPG). Turkey’s foreign ministry on Sunday said Turkey was not consulted on the establishment of the Border Security Forcce and that Turkey does not know which Coalition members approved the decision. “To attribute such a unilateral step to the whole Coalition is an extremely wrong move that could harm the fight against Daesh,” the ministry said. A spokesperson for the Coalition told The Defense Post that “Turkey is a …

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Captured French militant claims ISIS fighters in Syria aim to reach Europe through Turkey

Captured French foreign fighter Thomas Barnouin told the YPG that ISIS is trying to reach Europe through Turkey to carry out attacks

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Qatar signs €2.6 billion deals with France for 12 Rafale aircraft, 490 armored vehicles

Qatar signed deals to buy 12 French-built Rafale fighter jets and 490 VBCI armoured vehicles for €2.6 billion

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Turkey signs air defense missile accord with France and Italy

Turkey signed a letter of intent with France and Italy on Wednesday, paving the way to a purchase of surface-to-air missiles from the Eurosam consortium

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Al-Qaeda affiliate in Mali claims attacks as France pledges more aid for Sahel

An Al-Qaeda affiliate in Mali claimed responsibility for attacks on Malian and UN troops, while France pledged to increase aid to the Sahel by one third

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France increases military spending by €1.8 billion, nears NATO goal

French lawmakers approved a €1.8 billion increase in defense spending, reversing cuts that caused a row between President Emmanuel Macron and a top general

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