Tag Archives: France

A pro-Assad hacker group called The Syrian Electronic Army claimed responsibility for the hacking of two France24 Twitter accounts. The hackers posted false reports of the deaths of Syrian opposition figures Riad al-Asaad and Manaf Tlass.

The families of four French workers kidnapped in 2010 in Niger appealed to the French government to negotiate with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb for the release of the hostages. The families are concerned about consequences from French military operations in Mali.

A French-Spanish counterterrorism operation in France resulted in the arrest of three Chechens linked to Dagestani terrorist Eldar Magomedov, who has ties to both al Qaeda and the Islamic Jihad Union. Analysts have pointed out the rise of North Caucasus Islamist militant networks and a growing nexus between North Caucasus criminal groups and European jihadists.

French officials said French troops would remain in Mali until at least July and possibly longer. France plans to start drawing down forces gradually in Mali in March as the AFISMA force steps up in the country.

Foreign Minister Le Drian said France will not negotiate with the group that kidnapped a French family from Cameroon. Police arrested two men suspected of providing logistical help to al Qaeda-linked Toulouse shooter Mohamed Merah; two other suspects were released in January. Merah’s older brother Abdelkader remains in custody.

Police arrested at least four men in Paris who are suspected of planning to travel to the Sahel for jihad. The men, three Franco-Congolese and a Malian, are linked to a Franco-Congolese social worker detained in Niger while traveling to join al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in Timbuktu. Security officials have increased monitoring of […]