Interview French Defense Minister Le Drian Sangaris operation in Central African Republic 0812135

BBC Interview Jean-Yves Le Drian Sangaris operation by French Army

Version française

Sunday, December 8, 2013, 01:26 PM

Interview French Defense Minister Le Drian about Sangaris operation in Central African Republic.

French Defense Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, told the BBC's Christian Fraser about the military operation Sangaris by French army in Central African Republic.

Video BBC Interview Jean-Yves le Drian Sangaris operation in Central African Republic

The French operation in the Central African Republic (CAR) has begun, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has told RFI, following the UN Security Council's mandate to back up the African force Misca in restoring peace to the violence-torn country "by all necessary measures". The number of French troops in the country is to be boosted to 1,200 over the weekend.

"The operation has begun insofar as the French forces that were already present at Bangui airport with a mandate limited to protect that airport and our nationals last night started patrols in Bangui," Le Drian told RFI on Friday morning.

French Defense Minister,Le Drian insisted that the intevention will be short, between four and six months.

Its name has been chosen to stress that intention - it is called "Sangaris" after a small red African butterfly that has a 20-day life span.

The Misca African force will have 4,000 troops and has a 12-month mandate from the UN to "protect civilians, reestablish order and security and stabilise the country".