Jean-Yves Le Drian

29/04/2013 - France

Massive job and budget cuts announced for French military

Some 34,000 French military jobs will be cut by 2019 as France moves to reduce military spending.

20/03/2013 - France - Mali - Maurtania

Hollande summons defence chiefs after Al Qaeda hostage execution claim

President François Hollande called a meeting of France’s top defence committee Wednesday morning after Al-Qaeda’s north African branch (Aqim) claimed that it has killed a French ...

A French soldier walks across an airstrip tarmac at a Malian air base in Gao, March 9, 2013

17/03/2013 - France - Mali

Fifth French soldier killed in Mali

Officials said earlier today that a French corporal was killed while tracking down jihadist fighters in their northern Mali mountain hideout.

11/03/2013 - France

Toulouse remembers Merah killings

France has awarded the Legion of Honour to the first victim of a series of deadly shootings by self-proclaimed jihadist Mohamed Merah in Toulouse exactly a year ago.

11/03/2013 - France - Mali

Three more weeks for French troops to secure northern Mali

The French Defence Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, believes it will take another three weeks for French troops to fully secure north-eastern Mali from Islamic militants, and warned there could be ...

09/03/2013 - France - Mali - Burkina Faso

Le Drian declares Mali jihadis 70 per cent wiped out, heads for Ouagadougou

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was to meet Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaoré on Saturday after declaring France’s task in Mali 70 per cent accomplished.

08/03/2013 - Mali - France

Two French Islamist fighters extradited from Mali

A French jihadi fighter was to be extradited from Mali on Friday, according to Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian who said that the man is the second Islamist to be sent to France this week.

07/03/2013 - Mali - France - Chad

French defence minister on surprise visit to north Mali

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited the “last bastions” Islamist militias in northern Mali on a surprise visit Thursday.

06/02/2013 - Mali - France

French, Malian troops clash with Islamists around Gao

French and Malian troops suffered casualties in clashes with Islamist fighters near northern Mali’s main town, Gao, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday.

01/02/2013 - Nato - Mali -France

Nato rules out Mali role but backs French intervention

Nato is not likely to become involved in Mali, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Friday.