France will use drone attacks in its fight against extremists in Africa's Sahel region, Defence Minister Florence Parly announced on Thursday.
Three US-built Reapers fitted with laser-guided missiles have so far provided only surveillance support to the French Barkhane mission in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso since 2014, but will now also launch attacks, Ms Parly said.
"Their main missions remain surveillance and intelligence but these can be extended to strikes," she said.
France joins a small group of countries, including the US and Britain, that use armed, remotely-piloted aircraft in combat.
The Reapers will each carry two laser-guided missiles and are entering service after tests conducted from an airbase in Niger’s capital, Niamey.
"This is a new capacity, not a change in doctrine," Ms Parly said. "The rules of engagement for armed drones are exactly the same as for fighter aircraft."
France's 4,500-troop Barkhane force is fighting a seven-year extremist revolt in the Sahel that has killed thousands of civilians and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Niger at the weekend to pay tribute to 71 soldiers from the West African country who were this month killed in an attack claimed by ISIS.
France will also host a January summit on the continuing conflict, to be attended by the presidents of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
"The point is that when you are monitoring an area, if you identify enemies and there is an urgent need to deal with that target, the armed drones will be able to do it," French air force chief of staff Philippe Lavigne told AFP in Niamey on Sunday.
The drones can stay airborne for 20 hours and can operate at altitudes between 7,000 and 13,000 metres.
The French army has five of the drones, with two of them on the mainland for training. It will receive six more next year, equipped with GPS-guided missiles.
The drone fleet is set to increase to 12 in 2025 and 24 by 2030.
The use of armed drones is controversial. The US has been criticised by rights groups for using them in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen.
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THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
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Company%20Profile
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
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How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
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Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
