03:36France: Hollande urges Merkel to do more in fight against IS as Germany preps troops for Mali
German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised to send German troops "to ease the burden on French soldiers" in Mali during a joint presser with French President Francois Hollande in Paris, Wednesday. Some 650 German servicemen will be deployed in the north-western African country in a bid to tackle militants purportedly aligned with the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and other extremist militant groups.
The German response to up their military presence in Mali comes as Hollande put pressure on Germany to join the "fight against terrorism," saying that he would "be very attentive to what the Chancellor might say, knowing the rules by which Germany exists concerning outside intervention." However, he thanked Merkel for the added military assistance "which will lead to our forces being able to be deployed elsewhere and also act in the Sahel area."
Merkel stated that Germany would take "more responsibility," saying that Berlin would react quickly to Hollande's calls to fight IS and terror attacks. She concluded that "Daesh we will not be defeated with words, it will take military means."
Both leaders also called for the de-escalation of tensions between Turkey and Russia after Turkish places downed a Sukhoi jet allegedly flying over Syrian airspace on Tuesday.
The sudden increase of a European military presence in Mali comes after last week's attacks in Bamako, after ten gunmen entered the Radisson Blu Hotel in the centre of Malian capital, killing at 27 hostages. Militants from Al-Mourabitoun, a group affiliated with al-Qaida, have reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mali has been ravaged by civil conflict involving several militant factions in recent years. In 2013, France intervened militarily in Mali in order to push back militant groups who had threatened to capture areas of the country.
03:36German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised to send German troops "to ease the burden on French soldiers" in Mali during a joint presser with French President Francois Hollande in Paris, Wednesday. Some 650 German servicemen will be deployed in the north-western African country in a bid to tackle militants purportedly aligned with the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and other extremist militant groups.
The German response to up their military presence in Mali comes as Hollande put pressure on Germany to join the "fight against terrorism," saying that he would "be very attentive to what the Chancellor might say, knowing the rules by which Germany exists concerning outside intervention." However, he thanked Merkel for the added military assistance "which will lead to our forces being able to be deployed elsewhere and also act in the Sahel area."
Merkel stated that Germany would take "more responsibility," saying that Berlin would react quickly to Hollande's calls to fight IS and terror attacks. She concluded that "Daesh we will not be defeated with words, it will take military means."
Both leaders also called for the de-escalation of tensions between Turkey and Russia after Turkish places downed a Sukhoi jet allegedly flying over Syrian airspace on Tuesday.
The sudden increase of a European military presence in Mali comes after last week's attacks in Bamako, after ten gunmen entered the Radisson Blu Hotel in the centre of Malian capital, killing at 27 hostages. Militants from Al-Mourabitoun, a group affiliated with al-Qaida, have reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mali has been ravaged by civil conflict involving several militant factions in recent years. In 2013, France intervened militarily in Mali in order to push back militant groups who had threatened to capture areas of the country.