Dragon Operation

The objective of this operation was to control the area in which the road linking the main towns in northern Mali winds. This operation was also an opportunity to secure the logistical convoy bringing the armored squadron from Tessalit to Gao as part of the lightening of the French troops.

From August 31 to September 14, 2013, conducted between Gao and Aguelhok, "Dragon" engaged 400 Serval force soldiers, mainly divided between an infantry sub-battlegroup (SGTIA), an armored SGTIA and their support; about 150 Niger and Senegalese MINUSMA soldiers, as well as Malian gendarmes.

dragon operation

Crédits : EMA / Légion étrangère

A Serval soldier during Operation Dragon in September 2013, J.Lieber © Légion étrangère

Operation "Dragon" enabled the passage of the logistical convoy for the lightening of the Serval force stationed in Tessalit. Approximately 70 vehicles, including ten AMX 10 RCs and ten LAVs from the Tessalit armored sub-group, arrived in Gao without incident. In addition, the intelligence gathered and the findings confirmed that the continued action of the Serval brigade and MINUSMA soldiers helped maintain a certain calm in this area of action, while providing a deterrent presence and constraining the adversary's freedom of action.