French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he hoped a West African regional force aimed at combating Islamist militants and criminals in the arid Sahel region would be operational within weeks.
He spoke after a summit of presidents from Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Niger - the G5 Sahel bloc - which is setting up the multi-national force which will function along side French and U.N. missions in the region.