France honours Mali Troops on Bastille Day

Bastille Day Parade: African and UN soldiers join French troops on march through Paris to mark victory against terrorism in Mali.

06:52 16 July 2013

Troops coming from 13 African countries joined French military during the Bastille Day Parade in Paris to mark victory against terrorism in Mali. The parade commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 1789 by angry Paris crowd that helped spark the French revolution.

French President Francois Hollande is one of those who attended the military parade. Jets released trails of the national flag colours above crowds on the Champs-Elysees Avenue.

Although the parade was very successful, the realities in Mali suggest that President Fancois Hollande’s military intervention in Mali has had mixed results. The Malian government has taken control of a huge part of the country from Al Qaeda-linked extremists. However, there’s still tension in the north together with political instability.

Mr Holande said in an interview after the parade “It’s a victory that was won. Look at what happened. It was victory for Africa, a victory against terrorism, the pride that we must have.”