Paris hosts summit on Mali, considers troops withdrawal

France is hosting a summit devoted to the fight against Islamic extremists in West Africa

PARIS -- France is hosting a summit on Wednesday devoted to the fight against Islamic extremists in West Africa as Paris considers withdrawing its troops from Mali while maintaining military operations in the broader Sahel region, the French presidency said.

The move comes amid growing tensions between Mali, its African neighbors and European partners.

The European Union this month imposed sanctions on five senior members of Mali’s transitional government, including Prime Minister Choguel Maiga, accusing them of working to obstruct and undermine the transition from military to civilian rule.

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with African and European counterparts during a dinner at the Elysee presidential palace ahead of an EU-Africa summit scheduled Thursday and Friday in Brussels. Wednesday's meeting not only will address France's potential withdrawal, but also the involvement of the U.N. peacekeeping force and of the EU training mission.