Conditions no longer in place to continue Mali fight, France says

FILE PHOTO: French soldiers from the new Takuba force are pictured during a briefing at their headquarter in Gao, Mali August 20, 2021. Picture taken August 20, 2021. REUTERS/Paul Lorgerie/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - The conditions are no longer in place to continue the fight against Islamist militants in Mali and President Emmanuel Macron has asked to reorganise French troops in the region, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday.

"If the conditions are no longer in place so that we can act in Mali, which is clearly the case, then we will continue to fight next door with the Sahel countries," Le Drian told France 5.

(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Chris Reese)