WASHINGTON/PARIS (Reuters) -
France delivered a stern warning on Monday against possible U.S. troop cuts in West Africa, where groups linked to al Qaeda and
Islamic State are expanding their foothold.
![France warns U.S. against pulling troops from fight against Islamists in Africas Sahel](https://media.zenfs.com/en-US/reuters.com/77364a0e001260cda075c07be15cd876)
The
Pentagon is considering withdrawing the personnel as part of a global troop review meant to free up more resources to address challenges from China's military, after nearly two decades of prioritizing counter-terrorism operations around the world.
French Defense Minister Florence Parly said she warned her U.S. counterpart during a visit to the Pentagon that joint counterterrorism efforts in West Africa would be harmed by cuts to U.S. military assistance.