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21:42 GMT
PARIS, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- France will soon deploy its Air-Naval carrier group (GAN), spear-headed by the Charles de Gaulle carrier, to the Eastern Mediterranean to bolster resources in Operation Shammal against so-called Islamic State remnants, Defence Ministry sources said Thursday.
In a review of forthcoming operations, the Defence Ministry said that President Emmanuel Macron announced the January deployment for the Charles de Gaulle and its supporting vessels during a New Years greeting ceremony to military personnel earlier Thursday.
The sole French carrier has made several deployments in the Middle East and Gulf waters in the campaign against IS since 2014.
Macron also reviewed other French external operations, including the 4,500 troops deployed in the Sahel on anti-terrorist duties, specifically in Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Mali.
France will boost the Sahel force by 220 troops, Macron said earlier this month at a summit of regional leaders in Pau, southern France.
He also said that the Sahel operation, known here as "Barkhane", would this year become an "international coalition" as certain European nations have committed to boosting support for what has been essentially a French engagement.
Macron also praised the "record time" in which the Jaguar Task Force was deployed in 2019 to take part in joint operations in Saudi Arabia.
Homage was also paid by the French leader to the 21 national soldiers lost while on duty during last year, the Defence Ministry indicated. (end)
jk.mt