Under a deal made by defense commanders on Friday, French and American special operators would engage more directly on counterterrorism efforts in Africa, according to French Defense Minister Florence Parly. The pact, which comes after France announced it would reduce its soldier deployment in the Sahel by approximately half, shows that America is still fighting terrorism even as President Joe Biden pulls US troops out of Afghanistan. The expanded cooperation in the Sahel comes as the Pentagon considers sending special forces to Somalia to train local troops to combat al-Shabab.
