It has been two months since French forces began a campaign to rid Northern Mali from the rule of a collection of Islamist groups who have held onto the North for almost a year. Last month I reported on the progress that the French have made in the one month since they began their assault and in a blitzkrieg campaign they retook Timbuktu, Kidal, and Gao from enemy forces. In that first month they lost one helicopter pilot to small arms fire from the ground and in late January the French Foreign Legion conducted a combat jump into Timbuktu.
What has happened in the past month? Well a ton but I’m not going to bore you with every small objective and incident that has taken place. Since early February to almost mid-March:
First week of February: French SOF based out of Kidal in Northern Mali begin a new campaign to kill/capture top AQIM leadership as well as securing the many French hostages being held in the region.
February 8th: A second combat parachute jump took place on February 8th in the Northern city of Tessalit by French SOF. The combat jump was followed by an air-landing to reinforce the men on the ground. You can see the footage of the air landing and French SOF on patrol in Tessalit below:
February 10th: Islamist forces launched a massive counter-attack against the recently recaptured city of Gao. French, Malian, and Chadian troops found themselves fighting in a guerilla war. Insurgency in Gao is still on-going.
February 19th: A second French soldier was killed in action. Legionnaire Harold Vormezeele with the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) died during Operation Panthère.
Harold was born on July 24, 1979 in Belgium. He joined the French Foreign Legion when he was 19 years old. After a basic training, he asked to go to the 2e REP, a parachute regiment based in Corsica. He served in several operations: Bosnia (2000), Gabon (2001), Djibouti (2001 and 2011), Ivory Coast (2006), Central African Republic (2007) and in Afghanistan in 2008, 2010 and 2011. In 2005, he passed the selection course for the Commando Parachute Group of the 2e REP. In 2010, he obtained his French nationality.
February 25th: One of al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb’s top three commanders, Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, was killed during fighting in Northeastern Mali. Confirmed by AQIM, Algerian Intelligence, and French/Chad ground forces.
It has been two months since French forces began a campaign to rid Northern Mali from the rule of a collection of Islamist groups who have held onto the North for almost a year. Last month I reported on the progress that the French have made in the one month since they began their assault and in a blitzkrieg campaign they retook Timbuktu, Kidal, and Gao from enemy forces. In that first month they lost one helicopter pilot to small arms fire from the ground and in late January the French Foreign Legion conducted a combat jump into Timbuktu.
What has happened in the past month? Well a ton but I’m not going to bore you with every small objective and incident that has taken place. Since early February to almost mid-March:
First week of February: French SOF based out of Kidal in Northern Mali begin a new campaign to kill/capture top AQIM leadership as well as securing the many French hostages being held in the region.
February 8th: A second combat parachute jump took place on February 8th in the Northern city of Tessalit by French SOF. The combat jump was followed by an air-landing to reinforce the men on the ground. You can see the footage of the air landing and French SOF on patrol in Tessalit below:
February 10th: Islamist forces launched a massive counter-attack against the recently recaptured city of Gao. French, Malian, and Chadian troops found themselves fighting in a guerilla war. Insurgency in Gao is still on-going.
February 19th: A second French soldier was killed in action. Legionnaire Harold Vormezeele with the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) died during Operation Panthère.
Harold was born on July 24, 1979 in Belgium. He joined the French Foreign Legion when he was 19 years old. After a basic training, he asked to go to the 2e REP, a parachute regiment based in Corsica. He served in several operations: Bosnia (2000), Gabon (2001), Djibouti (2001 and 2011), Ivory Coast (2006), Central African Republic (2007) and in Afghanistan in 2008, 2010 and 2011. In 2005, he passed the selection course for the Commando Parachute Group of the 2e REP. In 2010, he obtained his French nationality.
February 25th: One of al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb’s top three commanders, Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, was killed during fighting in Northeastern Mali. Confirmed by AQIM, Algerian Intelligence, and French/Chad ground forces.
March 2nd: A third French soldier, Corporal Cedric Charenton, was killed in action in Northern Mali’s Adrar del Ifoghas. He was previously a veteran of Gabon and Afghanistan and the 26 year-old had been deployed in Mali since January 25th, 2013.
March 3rd: Reports have come out that Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the number two man in AQIM was killed during fighting in the same region where Abou Zeid died a few days earlier. Still unconfirmed, but most likely has died.
March6th: A fourth French soldier was killed by enemy forces in Eastern Mali – 60 miles from the city of Gao. Sergeant Wilfried Pingaud, 37 of the 68th African Artillery Regiment.
As someone who’s seen what happens when the truth is distorted, I know how unfair it feels when those who’ve sacrificed the most lose their voice. At SOFREP, our veteran journalists, who once fought for freedom, now fight to bring you unfiltered, real-world intel. But without your support, we risk losing this vital source of truth. By subscribing, you’re not just leveling the playing field—you’re standing with those who’ve already given so much, ensuring they continue to serve by delivering stories that matter. Every subscription means we can hire more veterans and keep their hard-earned knowledge in the fight. Don’t let their voices be silenced. Please consider subscribing now.
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Brandon Webb former Navy SEAL, Bestselling Author and Editor-in-Chief
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