2020 Operation Monclar in the Sahel | French Foreign Legion Information

In March 2020, a three-week military operation to search and neutralize terrorist elements took place in the three-border area of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Two Foreign Legion task forces were involved in the operation in this deserted land.

Since 2014, France’s counter-terrorist Operation Barkhane (ex-Operation Serval, 2013-14) has taken place in the Sahel region of Africa, a transition zone between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian Savanna to the south. The operation is carried out simultaneously in five countries: Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad, all of them being former French colonies. It is aimed at local armed terrorist groups (GAT), taking advantage of the sparsely populated area to hide themselves and to terror the local inhabitants.

Operation Monclar occurred in the historical Liptako-Gourma region (also known now as the Three-border region) between March 3 and March 23, as part of Operation Barkhane. Two Foreign Legion desert task forces, a battalion-sized GTD (Groupement Tactique Désert), participated in the operation. That one of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), GTD Centurion, and that one of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), GTD Dragon, supported by engineers from the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG). Alongside them, 3,000 soldiers from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

During the operation, tens of jihadists were neutralized. Also, several hideouts with equipments, as well as a number of weapons were found and destroyed.

Foreign Legion - 2020 - Operation Monclar - Sahel