A new task force called Takuba has been set up by France and several of its European allies. It comprises special forces charged with the duty of assisting regional armies to fight armed groups in the West African region of Sahel alongside the armies of Mali and Niger.
It is also charged with the duty to support efforts made by France’s Operation Barkhane and the regional G5 Sahel Joint Force which is made up of troops from Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
The Takuba task force is set to have an initial operational capability (IOC) from June to September 2020 and subsequently become fully operational by early 2021. This will be launched in the Liptako region which is known for being a stronghold for fighters linked to ISIL (ISIS).
The critical summit held in January 2020 for the coalition of the Sahel, will now integrate Takuba as part of its counter terrorism pillar. This would help to facilitate joint operations and improve intelligence sharing.
During the summit, the French President, Emmanuel Macron also, requested that his counterparts confirm their approval for France’s military engagement in the region. This was mainly triggered due to the rising anti-French sentiment in some countries amid the deteriorating security situation.
France already has about 4,500 soldiers who are conducting Operation Barkhane in the Sahel region conducting. On the other hand, the United Nations has a 13,000-strong peacekeeping operation in Mali which is currently being pictured as the world body’s most dangerous mission so far.
The United Nations, France and the US have made substantial financial contributions into stabilizing the Sahel, but the results haven’t been as expected. There has been a significant and continuous rise in violence with millions of displaced people thus brewing feelings of insecurity among residents of the region. According to the UN envoy for West Africa, attacks increased by five times in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger since 2016 and over 4,000 deaths were reported in 2019.
The significant increase in violence and rising dominance of terrorist groups within the Sahel region is very alarming and as much as the new task force is established to join forces with already existing military strength, it is critical that a high level of effectiveness, dedication and intelligence is applied as the military troops work together to stop terrorist activities in the region.
