White House may stop helping France fight African jihadis with drones and refueling planes. Experts say that could open the door to more terrorism.
Source:
WASHINGTON — France is appealing to President Donald Trump not to cut off U.S. military support to French forces fighting Islamist militants in Africa, warning that it could undermine efforts to counter a growing terrorist threat in the Sahel region.
Trump administration officials, however, are skeptical of the French counterterrorism mission’s value and have refused so far to promise continued logistical and intelligence support that French forces rely on in their fight against al Qaeda and ISIS-linked groups, according to one current and one former U.S. official.
The U.S. provides French forces with plane refueling and intelligence from drones at a relatively modest cost out of the Pentagon’s vast budget.
The White House and the State Department declined to comment.
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