French troops neutralized several leaders of ISIS during Operation Barkhane in the African Sahel, AFP reported referring to French Defense Minister Florence Parly.

In August 2014, France launched Operation Barkhan to combat Islamist groups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad. It was a continuation of the operation, which the French military carried out in 2013-2014 in Mali. According to the French Ministry of Armed Forces, more than 5,000 people are involved in the current campaign.