PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON WARNS THAT FRANCE MAY WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM MALI IF POLITICAL INSTABILITY LEADS TO GREATER ISLAMIST RADICALIZATION.

President Emmanuel Macron has warned that France would withdraw troops from Mali if Political Instability there leads to greater Islamist radicalization.

This follows a second Coup in nine months in West African Nation.

Mr. Macron warned of the risk of Mali moving towards greater Islamist influence.

France has five thousand troops in the Sahel region which has been a  front  line  in the  war against Islamist militancy.

French troops have been supporting forces in Mali Mauritania, Niger Burkina Faso and Chad to battle militants in the Sahel region since 2013.

Mr. Macron said he had told regional leaders that France would not support Countries where there was no democratic legitimacy or transition and that France  had no intention of  keeping its  troops  in African forever.