Explaining French overseas operations

Sangaris, Serval, Chammal, Barkhane... Regular media coverage in recent years has meant that these names have become familiar to French people. Overseas operations occupy an important place in current affairs, sadly all too often when a member of the armed forces is killed in action. From the decision being taken by the head of State to deploy our armed forces to a theatre of operations, up to the return of the troops, there is a long chain of command and a series of services that are mobilised to ensure compliance with international law, the protection of service personnel and the efficacy of the mission entrusted to them. Before charting the history of France’s operational involvement since the 1960s, this first section therefore sets out to explain overseas operations, by specifying their legal basis, revealing the different stages of command, and also recalling the reasons for the particularly strong involvement of our armed forces over the last five years.