PARIS, July 9 (Reuters) – France will in the weeks ahead begin reconfiguring its military presence in the Sahel region of West Africa where it has been on the frontline of the fight against Islamist militants, President Emmanuel Macron said.

Macron announced a month ago that France was ending its Barkhane mission and would operate within a broader international alliance.

Speaking after a virtual summit with leaders of the Sahel region, Macron on Friday said this was made possible by past successes against the militants as well as the changing nature of the threat. (Reporting by Tangi Salaun and Bate Felix; Editing by Richard Lough and Toby Chopra)

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