France Launches Operation Barkhane — Permanent Sahel Counter-Terrorism Mission

Operation Barkhane officially launches, replacing Operation Serval. At its peak, Barkhane fields 5,500 French troops across Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Mauritania, with HQ in N'Djamena and major bases in Gao and Niamey. It becomes the longest and most expensive French military operation since World War II, eventually costing over €1 billion annually.