'Operation Barkhane' thwarting "terrorists" in the Sahel desert A new French military base is under construction in east-central Mali. "These border areas are obviously the places most sought after by terrorists to carry out their actions," said General Frederic Blachon, commander of Operation Barkhane, France's 4,500-strong anti-jihadist force which is headquartered in Chad but operates across the Sahel region.