Latest news with #defensestrategy
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
France Withdraws From Senegal, Ending Its Permanent Military Presence In West Africa
DAKAR (AP) — The French military completed its withdrawal from Senegal on Thursday, its last West African country with a permanent troop presence, amid waning regional influence in recent years. France has faced opposition from leaders of some of its former colonies in Africa over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach to the continent. The French military handed over Camp Geille, its largest base in Senegal, along with a nearby air facility, to the Senegalese government during a ceremony in the capital, Dakar. Gen. Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa, said the handover marked a new phase in military ties. 'It is part of France's decision to end permanent military bases in West and Central Africa and responds to the Senegalese authorities' desire to no longer host permanent foreign forces on their territory,' he said. Senegal's military chief, Gen. Mbaye Cissé, said the withdrawal supports the country's new defense strategy. 'Its primary goal is to affirm the autonomy of the Senegalese armed forces while contributing to peace in the subregion in Africa and globally,' Gen. Cissé said. The ceremony marked the completion of a three-month withdrawal of roughly 350 French troops from the West African country, which began in March. France's military had been present in Senegal since it gained independence from France in 1960 under military cooperation agreements between the two countries. The withdrawal followed a call by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye last year for all foreign troops to leave, citing Senegal's sovereignty as incompatible with hosting foreign bases. Senegal's new government has taken a hard-line stance on the presence of French troops as part of a larger regional backlash against what many see as the legacy of an oppressive colonial empire. France has said it is planning to sharply reduce its presence at all its bases in Africa except in the eastern African country of Djibouti. It said it would instead provide defense training or targeted military support based on needs expressed by those countries. France has suffered setbacks in Africa recently, including in Chad and the Ivory Coast, where it handed over its last military bases earlier this year. They follow the ousting of French forces in recent years in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, where military-led governments have turned to Russia instead for military support. Around 350 French servicemen are still present in Gabon, where the army has turned its base into a camp shared with the central African nation; in the Ivory Coast, where some 80 French servicemen advise and train the Ivorian military; and in Djibouti, the last African country where France has a permanent military presence with around 1,500 troops.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
France withdraws from Senegal, ending its permanent military presence in West Africa
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The French military completed its withdrawal from Senegal on Thursday, its last West African country with a permanent troop presence, amid waning regional influence in recent years. France has faced opposition from leaders of some of its former colonies in Africa over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach to the continent. The French military handed over Camp Geille, its largest base in Senegal, along with a nearby air facility, to the Senegalese government during a ceremony in the capital, Dakar. Gen. Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa, said the handover marked a new phase in military ties. 'It is part of France's decision to end permanent military bases in West and Central Africa, and responds to the Senegalese authorities' desire to no longer host permanent foreign forces on their territory,' he said. Senegal's military chief, Gen. Mbaye Cissé, said the withdrawal supports the country's new defense strategy. 'Its primary goal is to affirm the autonomy of the Senegalese armed forces while contributing to peace in the subregion, in Africa, and globally,' Gen. Cissé said. The ceremony marked the completion of a three-month withdrawal of roughly 350 French troops from the West African country, which began in March. France's military had been present in Senegal since it gained independence from France in 1960, under military cooperation agreements between the two countries. The withdrawal followed a call by Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye last year for all foreign troops to leave, citing Senegal's sovereignty as incompatible with hosting foreign bases. Senegal's new government has taken a hard-line stance on the presence of French troops as part of a larger regional backlash against what many see as the legacy of an oppressive colonial empire. France has said it is planning to sharply reduce its presence at all its bases in Africa except in the eastern African country of Djibouti. It said it would instead provide defense training or targeted military support, based on needs expressed by those countries. France has suffered setbacks in West Africa recently, including in Chad and the Ivory Coast where it handed over its last military bases earlier this year. They follow the ousting of French forces in recent years in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, where military-led governments have turned to Russia instead for military support. Around 350 French servicemen are still present in Gabon, where the army has turned its base into a camp shared with the central African nation, in the Ivory Coast, where some 80 French servicemen advise and train the Ivorian military and in Djibouti, the last African country where France has a permanent military presence, with around 1,500 troops. Solve the daily Crossword
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
France withdraws from Senegal, ending its permanent military presence in West Africa
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The French military completed its withdrawal from Senegal on Thursday, its last West African country with a permanent troop presence, amid waning regional influence in recent years. France has faced opposition from leaders of some of its former colonies in Africa over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach to the continent. The French military handed over Camp Geille, its largest base in Senegal, along with a nearby air facility, to the Senegalese government during a ceremony in the capital, Dakar. Gen. Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa, said the handover marked a new phase in military ties. 'It is part of France's decision to end permanent military bases in West and Central Africa, and responds to the Senegalese authorities' desire to no longer host permanent foreign forces on their territory,' he said. Senegal's military chief, Gen. Mbaye Cissé, said the withdrawal supports the country's new defense strategy. 'Its primary goal is to affirm the autonomy of the Senegalese armed forces while contributing to peace in the subregion, in Africa, and globally,' Gen. Cissé said. The ceremony marked the completion of a three-month withdrawal of roughly 350 French troops from the West African country, which began in March. France's military had been present in Senegal since it gained independence from France in 1960, under military cooperation agreements between the two countries. The withdrawal followed a call by Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye last year for all foreign troops to leave, citing Senegal's sovereignty as incompatible with hosting foreign bases. Senegal's new government has taken a hard-line stance on the presence of French troops as part of a larger regional backlash against what many see as the legacy of an oppressive colonial empire. France has said it is planning to sharply reduce its presence at all its bases in Africa except in the eastern African country of Djibouti. It said it would instead provide defense training or targeted military support, based on needs expressed by those countries. France has suffered setbacks in West Africa recently, including in Chad and the Ivory Coast where it handed over its last military bases earlier this year. They follow the ousting of French forces in recent years in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, where military-led governments have turned to Russia instead for military support. Around 350 French servicemen are still present in Gabon, where the army has turned its base into a camp shared with the central African nation, in the Ivory Coast, where some 80 French servicemen advise and train the Ivorian military and in Djibouti, the last African country where France has a permanent military presence, with around 1,500 troops.
Fox News
10-06-2025
- Fox News
How Bryan Kohberger's notoriously mum defense attorney is using the media to her advantage
Bryan Kohberger's lead defense attorney Anne Taylor may be avoiding news cameras, but she has shown she is able to use widespread attention to the case to her advantage in her courtroom maneuvering. Even before Magistrate Judge Megan Marshall issued the first gag order in the case, Taylor declined to comment when contacted by Fox News Digital. Since then, she has declined to respond to additional requests for comment. "It is unusual for defense counsel to avoid trying to grab the spotlight and possibly influence public opinion via press conferences, but there's more than one way to skin a cat," said Royal Oakes, a Los Angeles-based litigator and media analyst. In Kohberger's case, convincing evidence has already been made public — including the allegation that police found his DNA on a Ka-Bar knife sheath under 21-year-old Madison Mogen, one of the four victims, and surveillance video of a suspected vehicle coming and going at the crime scene. "You've got the car circling the victim's house," Oakes told Fox News Digital. "You've got the DNA. You've got the cell phone records. The strategy instead is to go kind of a technical route and question the science of the DNA and also to argue autism by the criminal defendant. That's a key factor, and that's not the kind of thing you necessarily go public with." Taylor used unflattering depictions of her client to have news cameras thrown out of the courtroom and to secure a change of venue, which moved Kohberger's upcoming trial out of Latah County, where the students were killed, to Boise. Defense filings have highlighted widespread news coverage, as well as social media discussions involving thousands of web sleuths and true crime followers. More recently, Taylor is arguing that two major media projects — a "Dateline" episode and a forthcoming book from bestselling crime author James Patterson and crime reporter Vicky Ward — should justify another postponement of her client's trial in the deaths of four University of Idaho students. In particular, she claims the May 9 "Dateline" episode contains damning material that could put Kohberger's right to a fair trial at risk. "The program includes details and materials, including video footage, cellphone records, and photographs of documents, that are not publicly available through official channels," she wrote in a motion to continue filed on May 20. "The show repeatedly emphasizes the non-public nature of this information, stating it was obtained from unnamed sources who are close to the investigation, and that the materials were obtained exclusively by 'Dateline.'" Some of it will be inadmissible at trial, she added. Furthermore, she asserted that "the leaked materials appear carefully curated to promote a narrative of guilt." "The defense strategy of delay and moving the trial is working beautifully," Oakes said. "She was able to change the venue. She gets some postponements, and now she wants further postponement." If she gets it, there are two key factors that would benefit the defense, he added. "No. 1, give her time to come up with something to overcome this amazingly strong physical evidence against him, and also maybe diminish the public anger," he said. "As the months and the years go by, people will forget how horrific the crime was, and maybe give her a better chance to get a good result at trial." "They are trying to keep it out of the court of public opinion," said David Gelman, a Philadelphia-area defense attorney and former prosecutor who is following the case. "How do you do that? Stay away from media." GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB However, that is tough in a case where many updates receive international attention. Kohberger is accused of killing Mogen, two roommates and another friend in a 4 a.m. home-invasion stabbing spree. There is no publicly known motive, but a concerning detail is that he was studying for a Ph.D. in criminology at the time of the murders. The other victims were Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Jack Lu, a retired Massachusetts judge and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Lowell School of Criminology and Justice studies, said Taylor could consider trying to "humanize" her client — but anything else could be dangerous for the defense. "That case sends a chill down the spine of every professor in a school of criminology in the United States," he told Fox News Digital.
