conditions on the roads. and north carolina where freezing rain felled trees along highways further north in chicago they're more used to this kind of weather at this time of the year but even here they're bracing for more than 30 centimeters of snow by the time the storm passes through the new york city region has already seen its highest snowfall totals in years but the storm that's sweeping through the rest of the country is now barely north and about to hit here leaving tens of millions of other americans in the northeast of the country bracing for the next one that also could include sleet and hail gabriels on doe. we hawk in new jersey. hello again the headlines on al-jazeera 2 former militia leaders something did not

guilty at the start of their trial for war crimes committed in the central african republic fredricka tallman petry said warden guy so now are accused of targeting muslims in a campaign of torture murder and rape from 2013 to 2014 both men deny the charges from its inception and i saw i was aware of the n.t. block as organizational policy that policy entailed violent targeting of muslim civilians and western c.a.r. who based on their role aegis national or ethnic affiliation were perceived as collectively responsible for complicit with and supportive of the telic. you will hear this referred to is the criminal policy or common purpose in our presentation. as military has the carrying out a coup and pledged again to hold elections next year a spokesman for the armed forces says they had no choice but to seize power protest

against the military takeover are now in their day the palestinian authority says israel has stopped 2000 coronavirus vaccines being delivered to the gaza strip the 1st doses were supposed to be given out on tuesday more than 2000000 palestinians living in the gaza strip are yet to receive. the french president's call will join . leaders summit by video link presidents of the 5 nations. mauritania. are meeting as armed groups increase there it's france has deployed thousands of soldiers to back local troops but is preparing to reduce its presence chod says it will send $1200.00 soldiers to the volatile border areas you're up to date with all the latest headlines we're covering on al-jazeera will have more news right after inside story thanks for watching.

france rethinks its commitment to the south has a region of africa the president considers pulling out some troops a year after boosting numbers to fight on groups but the campaign is not going well so after 8 years is it time for a new approach this is inside story. hello and welcome to the program i'm homage i'm jerome a campaign against armed groups in the south had in africa has now been going on for 8 years soldiers from france and 5 countries of the region working

a fast so chad mali more autonomy and these air are battling fighters linked to eisele and al qaida but the offensive is making little headway regional leaders are meeting in chad's capital in jamaica to discuss what to do next french president emmanuel mccall is joining via video link he's considering cutting troop numbers as public opinion in france turns against the operation armed groups still hold large swaths of territory and burkina faso as prime minister has said his government won't rule out eventually negotiating with the fighters i'm a dangerous is monitoring developments from lagos in nigeria. the mood in the region is that of concern concern that any potential french withdrawal will expose most communities to a touch by the armed groups even with the presence of 5100 french soldiers in this hell regional armies esteem struggling to deal with escalating attacks from the armed groups approaching and booking a fossil and mali although that are reports that china is trying to send in 1000

forces to support forces in the region a lot of people here feel that it's in the crypt to deal with the situation on the ground 2020 in particular was a violent for both civilian and military personnel in the region now with the attempt by chuck to send in 1000 troops to support regional armies according to some reports many experts here believe that that would be enough any potential withdrawal by french forces would leave a huge vacuum vacuum in terms of military personnel and hardware as well as intelligence which the chaldean forces over there but to harden from their own civil war and fighting many bottles in the region may not have the necessary intelligence and hardware to deal with the onslaught by the armed groups in the region now moving judge and forces away from fox sports like the region regional forces are buckley. and i swap will mean that they'll be less concentration on less

attention to the fight against boko haram and i saw in the region bordering nigeria . and is yet a public which of course when mean that the armed groups operating in that area may have a loophole to exploit in the region greece reporting for insight story. france has been heavily involved in military operations aimed at stabilizing the region one year ago france agreed to send hundreds of additional troops to south and since then it's claimed a number of victories against armed groups but critics say they haven't resulted in lasting stability violence has escalated in the past year more than 7000 people have been killed and nearly 2000000 displaced by the fighting france is now planning to reduce troop numbers and seeking broader international support to stabilize the region. all right let's bring in our guests in bomb acoa molly or nella i want to ron is head of the sad program at the institute for security studies joining us from accra

in ghana chukwuemeka as the executive director of the west africa network for peace building and in yeah one day in cameroon. president of africa international media group a warm welcome to you all or no let me start with you today france is considering reducing its military commitment in the south is it likely that that would be announced at this summit yes indeed. the summit wraps up 3 he's been meeting in a number of. statements and that's the best ability to listen because it just seems there. it's not exactly clear at this meeting but it's. based on states you know grow apart their presence no reduction or they're really into the reach of an easy exit wounds would be the 6th. sense. data

that will sentiment last year this of course leaders at their. mission or in the direction of. rehabilitation. mentioned the names at the same time it raises questions about whether this is the right time to them whether national armies be made but the hurdle in this mother of how much has french public opinion turned against france's in gauge meant in the south and what does french president macro want to see come out of this summit. again you know i don't think that much of the dissatisfaction of our us the there but with the presence of back i'm sad comes from french public opinion it comes even more strong mildly and from from from the ground i would say. obviously

when you have your friends or he is being killed back what happened what is happening many times been happening many times you have a question in the rest what are we doing there but at the. present macau can we live with but what is even more what i'll call and it could lead to a change in that you have in mind many groups protesting you have a very and mounting atmosphere against the french troops what would say there was a couple weeks ago starring it was maybe by campbell and bottling a super waiting. and that was probably a mistake just not sure you have denying it but this cannot means that a lot of results basically ringback the lack of results nobody can see today that mining are your sad regions. that than it was when

when the whole operation stopped it 8 years ago and even and so if things will change it received changes probably we don't know what it will cherish maybe not really reduce the troops because it's magical to these gives to. the history of military operations worldwide you know when we see troops coming but for what's wrong then to go away to have to meet you know it's a baby quilt for us but we might see some changes because even by a friend standards death on hadn't resigned what it. and if you look at the west side. the french minister of defense. what the objectives this is about contrast the object that's what is to

fight against terrorist groups you know and it has been now narrowed down to fight against at terrorist group in the you know your own there's the border gate and now the 2nd tree is that do you see what's the look at troops look at oddities do to you know upscale and their competence and that that money is to the needs so you don't see it 80 years that major change movements have been made and as you see the object is i'm not really. supporting you know head being you don't see. a finer point of the opposition even in the object so it can be even harder. and you know people that i like we see all of them on the means you and the results i

saw they saw or so that something has to change america what are the governments in the south and the people in the region expecting to see as a result of this meeting. i think what's expected what kind of legacy that the french government want to be behind. and i think what has become very clear is that it's only. the issues in this and i was the last speaker rightly point that was sought simply citizens to also begin to have some form of them. and also those. fuck balls that increase this community this is what amounts you know because over time you know the time of military intervention and actions has news i mean how do you get the indefinite thoughts and even to make my past was is that without the level of the u.n.

peacekeeping and the level of french. have lost their minds and yet the issues continue to move to be sustained rather than diminish you know so i think what is important and what's the the the 5 point this out on this ahead and getting the french bookman's let us take a pause and review our terms and uniforms and deeds that is needs to be reviewed the kind of thing that mentions that we are making. good beyond just military intervention which has looks never even addressed the u. primary challenge of and seen the oxys of incidents or nella how much of the hen is under the control of these armed groups and why haven't military operations been able to get control of the situation thus far. well this is

a very good question so for the past 8 years we have. been and could be increasing number of our own it actually is a good you know but national and international security force is. being in the saddle region and yes this is a patient that keeps going west or west that they never have been able shims that mentioned was actually the deadliest your advice to get it it's. getting out the presence there last that i think. one problem that the answer really to me that's the voting nature and insecurity. in this and how you have various force a hands a new security happening and it's it's rather difficult to keep up with the space and i hope it's going to show that. the required level of what the nation women in a moment granted vincent be ready boss to send our international partners based

there is so. thick serious business which has been having. constantly spreading and increasing in the region and who are the main targets banks are. can ration but it also includes you know and the race that remuneration and moves it also includes. spirally a lot of companies there are really going up. and early innings who have been through increases in. casualties you're actually going to since that situation is really. quite a nation our international and national forces is a challenge that's being threatened some it's not spent chatted about it much remains to to be done but have our say france is hoping to get more support from

its european partners when it comes to the fight against armed groups in the sack do you think that we're going to be seeing this happen larry no os has been saying the same that for a while and now i'm there as. some i can as the day at a 1000000 germans to give some training a player that's training to be and. you have this kind of insight and they have that the whole point is that. b b we you cannot. solve the security issue only with military solutions and. everybody has seen that emmanuel even animals you know and. yet that day but the fact is that those who had their hands in the horror of rishon. you know that deep snow day it you know i'm complaining about it that we think only in military chance when it comes to.

you know if it comes to establishing institutions restoring institutions in the county it becomes an it comes to. restore way all sorts of ranty county medical problems but yeah probably beatrice lucian's and we see that today. the godly the area is not what you hear now i mean this record and the threats have been outside that the abbey explained it to you. father some solace to try to do you want to do my duty to even send it to the west exit route so don't feel like the situation has been stabbed less because only the why do you do it concentrate anything. i'm sure it's an image me

equipment and what people criticize that you cannot you know you call us who. impoverished villagers with your huge equipments so i didn't know they give children little leaders in fact or is it all i don't know what's a little magic met. you know medicine is that god is not it's not really something structured and on and under a lot of run to who really had to be able at some point to to to to tap that they want parts. earlier this month burkina faso is prime minister said that the country is looking to start negotiations for peace with the armed groups operating in the north and east of the country last year we heard the mali and former mali and president he had initiated similar negotiations are we going to see more countries adopt this strategy. it is very likely on the wrong one because like i say it

could be the the choice of just military intervention it alone is not enough what's left as the issues and the most important to name any case these problems get result because i think i do end of the day yannis them out of riggin. groups. and resolving to problem so something have to give and in our opinion it is important to begin to engage in these kind of negotiations now we bring this to be but also getting in mind that the states needs. i believe because of these characters and also yet in mind and getting the i might also have a few choice fx. believe that one is the states they will be called. but if you also look at some of the elicits activities that is going on you probably been among the you which increments of cost. money transactions on

an illicit form sponsor action then it may be time to also cross that out even if he's a cotton stick upwards to the whole of the shoes or now there was a report released by the international crisis group earlier this month that said that the sat had a stabilization strategy led by france is foundering the report called for a course correction in france's approach i want to ask you are international backers of france's approach disappointed by the results of president mccrone strategy thus far well i mean. the hawtreys. disappointing by. far the savage nation but what about our international partners they say well it sure is there has to be a considerable amount of money energy and. benefit in in trying to do stuff like that there we can. survive so i don't think

the disappointments are questioning more than the past century but the best strategy for going to. what needs to be read as bitter as my. betters mention is the folks in terms of. whether or not it was with reference to beijing when so many already married. so they made the time and military budgets strategy or a low level. strategy needs to be planted in that had been a recognition of our broader going back to the. seventy's. this is going to be leading into to resolve yet another element that we really should suffer. more is the waiting ready because i've abandoned

interact. you know i don't think it's that you. manage them it's that how do i get out so that the government are already much about you know about unspent or about. that really. militia also. element that's resulted in more dead civilians that are. sort of made sense to militia in an earlier answer you mentioned something that i wanted to ask you a little bit more about you mentioned the fact that the french foreign minister had just recently called for a diplomatic political and development surge to respond to the situation in the sas i wanted to dig a little bit deeper and ask you what more would that entailed because there are many who believe that you know a military strategy on its own is not enough there should be this overall strategy that includes governance human rights issues fiscal reforms what do you say to all

that. ok you know the the foreign ministry is just reflecting. the glow of the common sense not right on the matter and the g 5 sad but also the hollow rish because 80 years we've carried terror expanding and it got actually need that's actually. they something to be that so what the what is at stake here is that they don't want to look changing sleep as switching too much that was issued so and they're still open a little that opened the door i mean. a couple of months just a couple of months ago not what you wanted to or not it's that they change of course change was necessary but now you know there was

a coup in mali with president make out who wins that what is it he's resigned ok let and now the hat again yet and not a military jet there you know and so wish doesn't say anything good about the institutions that so you have this situation which has been worsening so the french whether one is sort of look far a new infant a new i would set a new site meant to go into it and all would not do other activists sort of and with that with retaining their lead it was right much to me generally and that has been the problem. although it's a difficult we know that when you have many groups working together maybe not to have it really you know it is difficult to coordinate coordinate so for the sake of

efficiency they want to. be a united front to united. but you cannot. that go on. demeaning way of thinking that the mahdi of the ottomans i'm not fit you are you would do. to lead their fight against what they call it and i'm just seeing it we have to do so and we don't want we don't need to be some to the people because they're the france obsession. or terror of terrorism the fight against terrorism. and approach of the issue you know they are. the people they're charis to you know not all kind of people we have that's. international crime but it was so people know if i leave.

so is not such you just say the act yeah yeah reece i don't we just. go against them we've got jackie in the whole i'm sorry to interrupt you just the we're just about to run a time and i just want to look at another aspect of all that's going on in the south has such a quick make i want to ask you the conflict in the south obviously it has sparked a major humanitarian crisis could you just tell our viewers a little bit about how dire the situation is right now. it is extremely very very very challenging explicitly given the fact that most of these i have countries i'm now you've known have to cope with the economic achieve that is imposed actually because of the conflict and now you've made more money that's because of the current funding you know and the grip that's heaps of all these women who continue to suffer from the brunt of the continent and yet if you look at the future of this i have with the level of security the level of. economic and

palm you know that the situation is becoming and that's why we continue that wide in the direction of military might it is important to begin now to devote activities that will ensure resilience of the community and also make them more softies get ideas. and he said yes because the that is going on in the south all right we've run out of time to we're going to have to leave the conversation there thank you so much to all our guests are now a mother on chukwuemeka as a and mother have been away and thank you too for watching you can see the program again any time by visiting our website al-jazeera dot com and for further discussion go to our facebook page at facebook dot com forward slash a.j. inside story you can also join the conversation on twitter our handle is at a.j. inside story for me managing to win the whole thing here but for now.

they may not be top of the table. they might not have the biggest stadium. but they stand as titans in the face of the fascist follow right movement. i do want to show the world that the good guys come sometimes when they are the force behind jim stacks and polyphenols. the fun to make football fun you see the us is always of interest to people all around the world

this is been going on for a number of them with tear gas being used to push the fight back. to the report the phone internet perspective to try to explain your mobile audience why it's important how did it impact their life at the height of the storm and what the would do a high would you know by hey this is an important part of the wall people pay attention to what was going here now does it is very good to bring the news to the world from here in india identity politics on the rise what we're seeing is the construction of partitions and cuts and loads of meetings of the across the country and as a dockside is you do see the grit from his office the majesty of the him fix into something more like the team i didn't see of the british football i meet with victims of violence and discover what life is like for minorities in the country join me on my journey in search of india's soul on al-jazeera. it's 10 years since the libyan revolution led to the overthrow of longtime brunei mamak gadhafi. the

country was torn by conflict and. rival claims of power. but it's hoped talks will finally bring peace and stability join us as we assess libya's protrude elections on al-jazeera. the top stories here on al-jazeera and to form a militia leaders facing trial at the hague have pleaded not guilty to charges of war crimes committed in central african republic you can tom and patrice edward. leaders of the mostly christian black a movement were accused of coordinating targeted violence towards muslims when was them select the rebels overthrew the government from its inception and i saw i was aware of the anti bloc as organizational policy that policy.