Latest update: 18/01/2013 

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French intervention in Mali: can France sustain its military efforts? (Part 2)

Friday January 11th, French combat helicopters flew into northern Mali to stop the advance of islamist fighters who control the north of the country, and that includes the local branch of Al Qaeda. And France is now waging war in the Sahara desert, to rid Mali and the entire region of these groups. How does this impact the Hollande presidency? Will it define his political future?

By FRANCE 24

On the set:

  • Michael Kirtley, Journalist, National Geographic & Africa International; Independent filmmaker;
  • Gabriele Parussini, Paris Correspondent, Wall Street Journal;
  • Mark Deen, Journalist, Bloomberg News;

By Skype from London:

  • Philip Stonor, Former Deputy Defence Attaché at the British Embassy in Paris;

Prepared by Cyril Vanier and Léa Berdugo

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I seem to recall that at the

I seem to recall that at the beginning of the Azawad crisis, there was talk of France and the United States trying to convince Algeria to contribute military to a Malian intervention. Is this still on the table? Or (in light of the recent disaster of In Amenas) will they just allow their airspace to be used?

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