Latest Breaking News

Omaha Steve

(99,660 posts) Mon Dec 23, 2019, 01:06 PM Dec 2019

France says it carries out 1st armed drone strike in Mali

Source: AP

ANGELA CHARLTON and KRISTA LARSON

PARIS (AP) — France’s defense ministry announced Monday it had carried out its first armed drone strike, killing seven Islamic extremists in central Mali over the weekend.

France joins a tiny group of countries that use armed drones, including the United States.

The drone deployment came nearly one month after two French helicopters collided in Mali, killing 13 soldiers in the deadliest military loss for France in nearly four decades.

A defense ministry statement said the drone strike took place Saturday while French President Emmanuel Macron was visiting neighboring Ivory Coast, where France has a military base. Macron already had announced that French forces had killed 33 extremists that day.

Read more: https://apnews.com/91857c92f04187ce48ad5bf26ea3d4af

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France says it carries out 1st armed drone strike in Mali (Original Post) Omaha Steve Dec 2019 OP

As I recently explained to my son, calling the casualties of military action "Islamic extremists" abqtommy Dec 2019 #1

You don't think France is capable of track terrorists to and from their bases or.. EX500rider Dec 2019 #2

I'm sure that the French are capable of tracking terrorists. I'm also sure that the people they abqtommy Dec 2019 #3

I seriously doubt the French forces are killing random people for no reason. EX500rider Dec 2019 #4

abqtommy

(14,118 posts)

1. As I recently explained to my son, calling the casualties of military action "Islamic extremists"

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Mon Dec 23, 2019, 02:08 PM

Dec 2019

doesn't mean they actually were. I'm not satisfied that we get the TRUTH from anybody.

EX500rider

(10,849 posts)

2. You don't think France is capable of track terrorists to and from their bases or..

Reply to abqtommy (Reply #1)

Mon Dec 23, 2019, 04:16 PM

Dec 2019

...after planting roadside bombs or ambushing UN or French troops?

abqtommy

(14,118 posts)

3. I'm sure that the French are capable of tracking terrorists. I'm also sure that the people they

Reply to EX500rider (Reply #2)

Mon Dec 23, 2019, 04:42 PM

Dec 2019

kill aren't necessarily the terrorists they track. That's an opinion I formed from exposure to many U.S.
anti-terrorist operations, as reported in various media.

EX500rider

(10,849 posts)

4. I seriously doubt the French forces are killing random people for no reason.

Reply to abqtommy (Reply #3)

Mon Dec 23, 2019, 04:45 PM

Dec 2019

They've been in Mali long enough to know the bad actors and separate the chaff from the wheat.

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