France says Pentagon Africa cuts would 'severely limit' counter-terror ops French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly warns that expected cuts to the Pentagon's African operations would hamper efforts against jihadist groups, especially in the Sahel region. "US support is critical to our operations, and its reduction would severely limit our effectiveness in our operations against terrorists," Parly said in a joint news conference with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper in Washington. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES