The French Presidency announced Monday that negotiations could be held in the Sahel region with elements in jihadist groups, but they are excluded, with the leaders of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, explaining that a summit on the regional situation will be held in Africa in February. /February.
"We are waging a war against two organizations that are not from the coast, but are international, and carry out terrorist acts outside the borders of the region," a source in the Elysee told France Press.
The Elysee affirmed that with the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, which declared enemy number one during the Bo summit in January 2020, "no negotiations are possible, there will be no negotiations, and no one is asking for that in the region."
The issue is more complicated is with the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, which has declared its allegiance to Al Qaeda.
The Elysee added that the leadership of this group "is subject to the central leadership of Al-Qaeda and is an integral part of its organizational structure." "No one has succeeded in negotiating with al-Qaeda, and France will not do that."
The source added that some members of this group "have an agenda that is often opportunistic and sometimes regional. There is no answer to them except to fight terrorism."
This issue has been a thorny issue in the region for years, especially in Mali. In October, it returned to the fore with the release of four hostages, including the Frenchwoman, Sophie Petronan, at the conclusion of negotiations led by financial delegates, in which France did not formally participate.
The French presidency stressed that "Malians are the ones who make the decisions in their country," noting its commitment to moving the peace agreement concluded in 2015 mediated by Algeria.
