LeMonde | French former Prime Minister Alain Juppé has called for clarification of France’s objectives in Mali, after current Defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian appeared to suggest that the French army was intent on eliminating the islamists from the North.
“The original aim was to stop the jihadists and terrorists from reaching Bamako,” Juppé told French radio station Europe 1. “I have the impression today that we have undertaken the total re-capture of Malian territory, which is an immense task.”
“France does not have the means to do this alone” Juppé declared. “We must be more active in re establishing constitutional order in Mali”.
He said that only an African force could help restore such order in Mali.
When French president François Hollande launched the offensive on 11 January, he spoke of stopping the advance of the islamists from the North and protecting the 6,000 French citizens in Mali.
Jean-François Copé, of the opposition UMP party like Juppé, also raised questions about France’s military intervention in Mali, in an interview on French television station BFM-TV.
“Is it a struggle against international terrorism? Is it a struggle against terrorism in the region? Is it to allow the re unification of Mali?”
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