French planes ‘conduct surveillance ’ on Nigeria border

French military aircraft are carrying out
surveillance missions to help countries
bordering Nigeria tackle Boko Haram
militants, officials said on Tuesday ,
amid efforts by African countries to
coordinate a response to the threat
posed by the group .
The African Union has authorised a
force of 7 ,500 troops from Nigeria,
Chad, Cameroon , Niger and Benin to
fight the militants. It is expected to
seek a United Nations Security Council
mandate, which could also include
logistical support from other countries .
“ Our air force is carrying out
reconnaissance missions, but not over
Nigeria, ” said a French defence ministry
source . “Our support is limited to
neighbouring countries such as Chad
and Niger.”
The source added intelligence was
being given to Chadian forces currently
fighting Boko Haram on the Cameroon
and Nigeria border region.
Speaking at a ceremony on Tuesday
marking the accidental death of nine
French airmen in Spain last month ,
French President Francois Hollande had
earlier said aircraft were currently
operating over Nigeria.
Clarifying Hollande’ s comments, the
presidential palace said French planes
were not flying over Nigeria, but that
France was “ cooperating in the fight
against Boko Haram . ”
Hollande said in May that Rafale fighter
jets would be used for reconnaissance
missions to help find some 200 girls
kidnapped by Boko Haram .
Since then there has been no official
comment on any French operations in
the country, Reuters says .
France has headquartered its 3 ,200-
strong Sahel counter- insurgency force ,
Barkhane , in the Chadian capital
N ’ Djamena, some 50 kilometres ( 30
miles) from the Nigerian border . It has
fighter jets based there and in Niger,
where it also has surveillance drones .

Posted via Blogaway