France
-
Jan- 2018 -17 JanuaryEurope
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
Read More » -
16 JanuaryMiddle East
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 …
Read More » -
10 JanuaryMiddle East
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
Read More » -
Dec- 2017 -7 DecemberBusiness
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
Read More » -
Nov- 2017 -8 NovemberAir
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
Read More » -
8 NovemberAfrica
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
Read More » -
8 NovemberEurope
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
Read More » -
7 NovemberAfrica
Sahel anti-terror force faces logistical problems in first mission
The maiden mission of the G5 Sahel counterterrorism force experienced "logistical problems" but they are not "insurmountable"
Read More » -
Oct- 2017 -4 October
Motorbike explodes outside Jordanian defense mission in Paris
A motorbike exploded outside the Jordanian military mission in the French capital early on Wednesday morning. Jordan’s Petra news agency reported that no one was injured in the explosion, which occurred outside the defense attache’s office on avenue Foch in Paris’ 16th arrondissement. The Jordanian embassy is located nearby. An embassy official said he did not believe the military office was deliberately targeted. Several vehicles were damaged, according to the foreign ministry. The Paris police department said the motorbike was set on fire in front of the office, but nothing “corresponded to an explosion,” Reuters news agency reported. Police said the incident was under investigation but not believed to be linked to terrorism.
Read More » -
Sep- 2017 -26 SeptemberPolitics
Macron lays out plans for Eurozone overhaul and common defense
French President Macron laid out a roadmap for reforming the EU, calling for greater Eurozone integration and common European defense
Read More »