The Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force MNJTF, Maj.-Gen. Abdul Khalifah has called for partnership with other regional forces to defeat terrorism in the Lake Chad area and the Sahel.
Khalifah made the call when he received the new Force Commander of Operation Barkhane, French born Maj.-Gen. Bruno Baratz in the MNJTF Headquarters Camp Farcha in Ndjamena Chad.
This is contained in a statement from the spokesman of the MNJTF on Wednesday, Lt.-Col. K.A Adegoke.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that MNJTF comprises of troops from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic and has its headquarters in Ndjamena, Chad.
The commander appreciated the cooperation between Operation Barkhane and the MNJTF noting that the feat should be sustained.
He equally thanked the troops for their stabilising roles in the fight against terrorism in the region and urged for sustenance.
He assured the new commander of his commitment to tackle insurgency in the region.
Responding, Baratz also praised the effective role of MNJTF in bringing stability in its area of operations.
Baratz said that operation Barkhane is in the process Mali, but would continue to work with other countries in fighting terrorism in the region.
NAN reports that operation Barkhane is an ongoing anti-insurgent operation that started on Aug. 1, 2014 and is led by the French military against Islamist groups in Africa’s Sahel region.
It consists of a roughly 5,000-strong French force, which is permanently headquartered in N’Djamena.
NAN also reports that yhe operation is led in co-operation with five countries, all of which are former French colonies that span the Sahel: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
The countries are collectively referred to as the ”G5 Sahel”.
In another development, the outgoing Commander Sector I of the MNJTF based in Cameroon, Brig.-Gen. Bouba Debekreo, introduced his successor, Col. Tiokap Loti, to the force commander of the MNJTF.
Debekreo thanked the force commander for the support and guidance given him and urged for same to be extended to his successor. (NAN)