[In brief] 30.000 soldiers in operations

(B2) France still has an intensive internal and external deployment of its armies.

There are nearly 30.000 soldiers in operation, more than half of whom are outside:

— 13.000 soldiers on national territory;

— 3750 soldiers in the presence forces, that is to say on external bases (350 in Senegal, 950 in Ivory Coast, 350 in Gabon, 1150 in Djibouti, 650 in the United Arab Emirates);

— 5100 in Operation Barkhane in the Sahel, between Chad, Mali and Niger;

— 600 for Operation Chammal in Syria and Iraq;

— 4150 in maritime operations (200 in the Arab-Persian Gulf between Agenor and CTF-150, 150 for Corymbe in the Gulf of Guinea, 600 in the Jeanne d'Arc mission and 3000 in the carrier group);

— 720 soldiers in the UN, most of them involved in UNIFIL in Lebanon (Operation Daman);

— 400 in the NATO forward presence (in the Baltics);

— 140 (actually more like 250 today) in European Union missions and operations (EUNAVFOR Med Irini and Atalanta, EUFOR Althea, EUTM Mali, EUTM Rca etc.)

Taking on the burden

France has a “ ability to take responsibility ". And she proves it. “ This is also sharing the burden » indicates a French diplomat.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)