FRANCE: In pictures: African troops practice for 'Bastille Day'

In the early hours of Thursday morning French, Malian and African soldiers on the UN?s African ?MINUSMA? peacekeeping operation in Mali marched down the Champs Elys?es in central Paris in a rehearsal for Sunday?s July 14 ?Bastille Day? parade.

The first soldier in Sunday?s march will be Malian Colonel Elis?e Jean Dao. Some 232 African soldiers from 13 nations will be in the vanguard of the parade.?Taking the salute beside French President Fran?ois Hollande will be Malian interim President Dioncounda Traor? and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

While waiting for their orders to move out, French troops who served in Mali stand together with their African counterparts. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) These Chadian troops are held in high esteem for having cleared the Ifoghas mountains in the far north of Mali of Islamists. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) French soldiers and their battle honours from the French-led Operation Serval in Mali. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) Colonel G?ze, commander of the French 21st Marine Regiment, is pleased to be in Paris after months of combat in Mali. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) An otherwise empty Place de la Concorde fills with marching African soldiers. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) A Guinean soldier poses for the cameras. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) The first soldier in Sunday?s march will be Malian Colonel Elis?e Jean Dao. Some 232 African soldiers from 13 nations will be in the vanguard of the parade. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) Malian soldiers practise for Sunday?s parade. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) The Malian troops? rehearsal takes place in the shadow of the statue of former French wartime leader and President Charles de Gaulle by the Grand Palais gallery next to the Champs Elys?es. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms) Chadian Colonel Tahir, in charge of the UN MINUSMA detachment, seems happy to be in Paris. (Photo credit: Pierre Ren?-Worms)

Source: http://www.france24.com/en/20130712-pictures-african-mali-france-bastille-day-parade

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