Sahel is 'priority' area for Al-Qaeda, IS expansion: Macron

Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have made the Sahel region of West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea nations "a priority for their strategy of expansion," French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday.

"They are investing there and exploiting local causes in order to better pursue their global and regional agenda," said Macron, after announcing a pull-out of French and allied troops from Mali but justifying an ongoing French and EU military presence in the region.