Short on boots and backing, West Africa force faces uphill battleSEVARE, Mali (Reuters) - Snipers from a new West African force lie prone on a rooftop in central Mali, scanning the horizon for Islamist militants who have infiltrated this sparsely populated region south of the Sahara and made it a launchpad for deadly attacks. Thousands of U.N. peacekeepers, French troops and U.S. military trainers and drone operators have failed to stem a growing wave of jihadist violence, leading international powers to pin their hopes on a new regional force. But the so-called G5 Sahel initiative faces immense challenges if it is to do any better at bringing security to the arid Sahel region than its countries Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger have managed so far. Security sources and analysts say too strong an emphasis on military might over tackling the underlying causes of jihad, logistical shortfalls and a lack of cooperation from regional powerhouse Algeria all raise doubts over whether the G5 can succeed where years of Western intervention has not.  There is a long way to go to reach full operational capacity, even though the timeframe is relatively short,  G5 force commander General Didier Dacko told visiting U.N. Security Council envoys last month, citing a range of needs from aerial support to communications equipment to intelligence gathering.  The United Nations, France and the United States have poured billions of dollars into stabilizing the region over the past 15 years but have failed to meaningfully address the many local grievances driving conflict, analysts say. Political and social tensions, such as a stalled peace process between the government and armed groups in Mali, are pushing youths to jihad, as are growing rivalries between farmers and cattle herders and rights abuses by national armies. In northern Burkina Faso, for example, preacher Malam Ibrahim Dicko has gained adherents to his militant Ansarul Islam movement by railing against the privileges of traditional elites in a region scarred by widespread poverty. Some local groups have affiliated themselves with global franchises such as al Qaeda and Islamic State, whose dwindling presence in the Middle East has led Western governments to zero in on the vast lawless tracts of North and West Africa to prevent them finding new footholds. But the militant groups in the Sahel draw more on frustrations with central governments and the Western forces that back them than a global jihadist agenda, making security-heavy approaches risky, analysts say.  I think local communities in Mali and Niger feel alienated and confused by the actions of those entities,  said Alexander Thurston, an assistant professor at Georgetown University who specializes in Islam and politics in West Africa.   The problems require political solutions, ultimately, and the G5 is a small and underfunded force.  The G5 s backers say they recognize the need for longer-term economic development, not just a beefed-up security presence. In Mali last month, France s U.N. envoy Francois Delattre called the two  absolutely inseparable . But when it comes to coughing up, development often gets short-changed. A U.N. initiative to support regional security, governance and development has only received 30 percent of its budget since 2013, with the latter two areas worst hit. France is keenly backing the G5, hoping it will provide an eventual exit strategy for its own costly 4,000-strong counter-terrorism taskforce in the region, Operation Barkhane.   Terrorist groups in the Sahel now represent a global threat,  French Foreign Minster Jean-Yves Le Drian told the Security Council last week.  The G5 Sahel joint force is the right response to this challenge.  The threat Islamist militants pose was underscored by last month s attack in Niger that killed eight U.S. and Nigerien troops, prompting American officials to predict U.S. involvement in the region would intensify. Across the street from the snipers  perch in Sevare, Mali, inside the G5 headquarters, General Dacko told Security Council diplomats how he planned to take on the 1,000 or so  terrorists  he estimated operate in the area. Joint patrols, hot pursuit operations and intelligence sharing among the five countries contributing to the force, which should eventually boast nearly 5,000 soldiers, will chase out drug traffickers and militants, he said. Neither the U.N. mission in Mali, which cannot operate across borders, nor the French taskforce, which has concentrated on training local forces and going after high value targets, has made securing the region s porous borders a priority. Last week, the G5 deployed its first several hundred troops from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to their shared borderlands where jihadists have carried out dozens of attacks this year.     The G5 is a source of hope and we believe in it completely,  Dacko said. Initially skeptical of the force, the United States pledged up to $60 million last week. Even so, commitments from the G5 countries and donors stand at only a third of the estimated $490 million the force needs in its first year. Money, logistical support and local opposition aside, Dacko said he was concerned about the relationship with the continent s biggest country, Algeria, with which the G5 nations share a collective border roughly 2,500 km (1,500 miles) long. Islamist militant groups emerged in Algeria in the early 1990s and then spread beyond its borders. The country s constitution prohibits foreign military intervention but analysts say its collaboration is essential because of its intelligence networks  intimate knowledge of regional militants.   Dacko, however, said there was no process as yet to formalize security cooperation between the G5 and the North Africa country. Algerian officials were not immediately available to comment. A source familiar with the Algerian government s thinking said it already had channels of cooperation with G5 military officials and questioned the need for a new force.   You have MINUSMA (the U.N. peacekeeping mission) in Mali ... so why another regional group to fight terror in the Sahel?  the source said. Algeria also sees the G5 as effectively being controlled by its former colonial master France, with which it fought a bitter independence war and has since regarded with suspicion.  Algeria perceives the G5 Sahel as an extension of French influence in a region in which Algeria has traditionally been dominant, and in which France has historically played an essentially destabilizing role,  Hannah Armstrong, an Algeria expert at the International Crisis Group, said. Algeria mediated talks leading to the 2015 peace deal in Mali but it is sometimes suspected of not doing all it could to prevent militants using its desert spaces as a rear base.  It is essential to find ways to partner (with Algeria),  said Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, Mali s former intelligence chief.  As long as there is not a shared evaluation, you cannot imagine a common course of action.   West Africa's Sahel initiative: tmsnrt.rs/2m3ScBv worldnews
short boots backing west africa force faces uphill battlesevare mali reuters snipers new west african force lie prone rooftop central mali scanning horizon islamic militants infiltrated sparsely populated region south share made launched deadly attacks thousands peacekeepers french troops military trainers drone operators failed stem growing wave jihadist violence leading international powers pin hopes new regional force but she initiative faces immense challenges better bringing security arid she region countries burkina faso chad mali mauritania niger managed far security sources analysts say strong emphasis military might tackling underlying causes jihad logistical shortfall lack cooperation regional powerhouse algeria raise doubts whether succeed years western intervention there long way go reach full operational capacity even though timeframe relatively short force commander general rider back told visiting security council envoys last month citing range needs aerial support communications equipment intelligence gathering the united nations france united states poured billions dollars stabilizing region past years failed meaningfully address many local grievances driving conflict analysts say political social tensions stalled peace process government armed groups mali pushing youths jihad growing rivalries farmers cattle headers rights abuses national armies in northern burkina faso example preacher mala ibrahim dick gained adherents militant ansarul islam movement railing privileges traditional elites region scarred widespread poverty some local groups affiliated global franchises al qaeda islamic state whose dwindling presence middle east led western governments zero vast lawless tracts north west africa prevent finding new foothold but militant groups she draw frustrations central governments western forces back global jihadist agenda making approaches risky analysts say i think local communities mali niger feel alienated confused actions entities said alexander thornton assistant professor georgetown university specializes islam politics west africa the problems require political solutions ultimately small underfunded force the backers say recognize need economic development security presence in mali last month france envoy francois delaware called two absolutely inseparable but comes coaching development often gets a initiative support regional security governance development received percent budget since latter two areas worst hit france weekly backing hoping provide eventual exit strategy costly taskforce region operation backhand terrorist groups she represent global threat french foreign minister le brian told security council last week the she joint force right response challenge the threat islamic militants pose underscores last month attack niger killed eight nigerian troops prompting american officials predict involvement region would intensify across street snipers perch severe mali inside headquarters general back told security council diplomats planned take terrorists estimated operate area joint patrols hot pursuit operations intelligence sharing among five countries contributing force eventually boast nearly soldiers chase drug traffickers militants said neither mission mali operate across borders french taskforce concentrated training local forces going high value targets made securing region porous borders priority last week deployed first several hundred troops mali niger burkina faso shared borderlands jihadists carried dozens attacks year the source hope believe completely back said initially skeptical force united states pledged million last week even commitments countries donors stand third estimated million force needs first year money logistical support local opposition aside back said concerned relationship continent biggest country algeria nations share collective border roughly km miles long islamic militant groups emerged algeria early spread beyond borders the country constitution prohibits foreign military intervention analysts say collaboration essential intelligence networks intimate knowledge regional militants back however said process yet normalize security cooperation north africa country algeria officials immediately available comment a source familiar algeria government thinking said already channels cooperation military officials questioned need new force you minus peacekeeping mission mali another regional group fight terror she source said algeria also sees effectively controlled former colonial master france fought bitter independence war since regarded suspicion algeria perceives she extension french influence region algeria traditionally dominant france historically played essentially stabilizing role hannah armstrong algeria expert international crisis group said algeria mediated talks leading peace deal mali sometimes suspected could prevent militants using desert spaces rear base it essential find ways partner algeria said soumeylou boubeye manga mali former intelligence chief as long shared evaluation imagine common course action west africa she initiative worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Short on boots and backing, West Africa force faces uphill battleSEVARE, Mali (Reuters) - Snipers from a new West African force lie prone on a rooftop in central Mali, scanning the horizon for Islamist militants who have infiltrated this sparsely populated region south of the Sahara and made it a launchpad for deadly attacks. Thousands of U.N. peacekeepers, French troops and U.S. military trainers and drone operators have failed to stem a growing wave of jihadist violence, leading international powers to pin their hopes on a new regional force. But the so-called G5 Sahel initiative faces immense challenges if it is to do any better at bringing security to the arid Sahel region than its countries Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger have managed so far. Security sources and analysts say too strong an emphasis on military might over tackling the underlying causes of jihad, logistical shortfalls and a lack of cooperation from regional powerhouse Algeria all raise doubts over whether the G5 can succeed where years of Western intervention has not.  There is a long way to go to reach full operational capacity, even though the timeframe is relatively short,  G5 force commander General Didier Dacko told visiting U.N. Security Council envoys last month, citing a range of needs from aerial support to communications equipment to intelligence gathering.  The United Nations, France and the United States have poured billions of dollars into stabilizing the region over the past 15 years but have failed to meaningfully address the many local grievances driving conflict, analysts say. Political and social tensions, such as a stalled peace process between the government and armed groups in Mali, are pushing youths to jihad, as are growing rivalries between farmers and cattle herders and rights abuses by national armies. In northern Burkina Faso, for example, preacher Malam Ibrahim Dicko has gained adherents to his militant Ansarul Islam movement by railing against the privileges of traditional elites in a region scarred by widespread poverty. Some local groups have affiliated themselves with global franchises such as al Qaeda and Islamic State, whose dwindling presence in the Middle East has led Western governments to zero in on the vast lawless tracts of North and West Africa to prevent them finding new footholds. But the militant groups in the Sahel draw more on frustrations with central governments and the Western forces that back them than a global jihadist agenda, making security-heavy approaches risky, analysts say.  I think local communities in Mali and Niger feel alienated and confused by the actions of those entities,  said Alexander Thurston, an assistant professor at Georgetown University who specializes in Islam and politics in West Africa.   The problems require political solutions, ultimately, and the G5 is a small and underfunded force.  The G5 s backers say they recognize the need for longer-term economic development, not just a beefed-up security presence. In Mali last month, France s U.N. envoy Francois Delattre called the two  absolutely inseparable . But when it comes to coughing up, development often gets short-changed. A U.N. initiative to support regional security, governance and development has only received 30 percent of its budget since 2013, with the latter two areas worst hit. France is keenly backing the G5, hoping it will provide an eventual exit strategy for its own costly 4,000-strong counter-terrorism taskforce in the region, Operation Barkhane.   Terrorist groups in the Sahel now represent a global threat,  French Foreign Minster Jean-Yves Le Drian told the Security Council last week.  The G5 Sahel joint force is the right response to this challenge.  The threat Islamist militants pose was underscored by last month s attack in Niger that killed eight U.S. and Nigerien troops, prompting American officials to predict U.S. involvement in the region would intensify. Across the street from the snipers  perch in Sevare, Mali, inside the G5 headquarters, General Dacko told Security Council diplomats how he planned to take on the 1,000 or so  terrorists  he estimated operate in the area. Joint patrols, hot pursuit operations and intelligence sharing among the five countries contributing to the force, which should eventually boast nearly 5,000 soldiers, will chase out drug traffickers and militants, he said. Neither the U.N. mission in Mali, which cannot operate across borders, nor the French taskforce, which has concentrated on training local forces and going after high value targets, has made securing the region s porous borders a priority. Last week, the G5 deployed its first several hundred troops from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to their shared borderlands where jihadists have carried out dozens of attacks this year.     The G5 is a source of hope and we believe in it completely,  Dacko said. Initially skeptical of the force, the United States pledged up to $60 million last week. Even so, commitments from the G5 countries and donors stand at only a third of the estimated $490 million the force needs in its first year. Money, logistical support and local opposition aside, Dacko said he was concerned about the relationship with the continent s biggest country, Algeria, with which the G5 nations share a collective border roughly 2,500 km (1,500 miles) long. Islamist militant groups emerged in Algeria in the early 1990s and then spread beyond its borders. The country s constitution prohibits foreign military intervention but analysts say its collaboration is essential because of its intelligence networks  intimate knowledge of regional militants.   Dacko, however, said there was no process as yet to formalize security cooperation between the G5 and the North Africa country. Algerian officials were not immediately available to comment. A source familiar with the Algerian government s thinking said it already had channels of cooperation with G5 military officials and questioned the need for a new force.   You have MINUSMA (the U.N. peacekeeping mission) in Mali ... so why another regional group to fight terror in the Sahel?  the source said. Algeria also sees the G5 as effectively being controlled by its former colonial master France, with which it fought a bitter independence war and has since regarded with suspicion.  Algeria perceives the G5 Sahel as an extension of French influence in a region in which Algeria has traditionally been dominant, and in which France has historically played an essentially destabilizing role,  Hannah Armstrong, an Algeria expert at the International Crisis Group, said. Algeria mediated talks leading to the 2015 peace deal in Mali but it is sometimes suspected of not doing all it could to prevent militants using its desert spaces as a rear base.  It is essential to find ways to partner (with Algeria),  said Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, Mali s former intelligence chief.  As long as there is not a shared evaluation, you cannot imagine a common course of action.   West Africa's Sahel initiative: tmsnrt.rs/2m3ScBv worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: short boots backing west africa force faces uphill battlesevare mali reuters snipers new west african force lie prone rooftop central mali scanning horizon islamic militants infiltrated sparsely populated region south share made launched deadly attacks thousands peacekeepers french troops military trainers drone operators failed stem growing wave jihadist violence leading international powers pin hopes new regional force but she initiative faces immense challenges better bringing security arid she region countries burkina faso chad mali mauritania niger managed far security sources analysts say strong emphasis military might tackling underlying causes jihad logistical shortfall lack cooperation regional powerhouse algeria raise doubts whether succeed years western intervention there long way go reach full operational capacity even though timeframe relatively short force commander general rider back told visiting security council envoys last month citing range needs aerial support communications equipment intelligence gathering the united nations france united states poured billions dollars stabilizing region past years failed meaningfully address many local grievances driving conflict analysts say political social tensions stalled peace process government armed groups mali pushing youths jihad growing rivalries farmers cattle headers rights abuses national armies in northern burkina faso example preacher mala ibrahim dick gained adherents militant ansarul islam movement railing privileges traditional elites region scarred widespread poverty some local groups affiliated global franchises al qaeda islamic state whose dwindling presence middle east led western governments zero vast lawless tracts north west africa prevent finding new foothold but militant groups she draw frustrations central governments western forces back global jihadist agenda making approaches risky analysts say i think local communities mali niger feel alienated confused actions entities said alexander thornton assistant professor georgetown university specializes islam politics west africa the problems require political solutions ultimately small underfunded force the backers say recognize need economic development security presence in mali last month france envoy francois delaware called two absolutely inseparable but comes coaching development often gets a initiative support regional security governance development received percent budget since latter two areas worst hit france weekly backing hoping provide eventual exit strategy costly taskforce region operation backhand terrorist groups she represent global threat french foreign minister le brian told security council last week the she joint force right response challenge the threat islamic militants pose underscores last month attack niger killed eight nigerian troops prompting american officials predict involvement region would intensify across street snipers perch severe mali inside headquarters general back told security council diplomats planned take terrorists estimated operate area joint patrols hot pursuit operations intelligence sharing among five countries contributing force eventually boast nearly soldiers chase drug traffickers militants said neither mission mali operate across borders french taskforce concentrated training local forces going high value targets made securing region porous borders priority last week deployed first several hundred troops mali niger burkina faso shared borderlands jihadists carried dozens attacks year the source hope believe completely back said initially skeptical force united states pledged million last week even commitments countries donors stand third estimated million force needs first year money logistical support local opposition aside back said concerned relationship continent biggest country algeria nations share collective border roughly km miles long islamic militant groups emerged algeria early spread beyond borders the country constitution prohibits foreign military intervention analysts say collaboration essential intelligence networks intimate knowledge regional militants back however said process yet normalize security cooperation north africa country algeria officials immediately available comment a source familiar algeria government thinking said already channels cooperation military officials questioned need new force you minus peacekeeping mission mali another regional group fight terror she source said algeria also sees effectively controlled former colonial master france fought bitter independence war since regarded suspicion algeria perceives she extension french influence region algeria traditionally dominant france historically played essentially stabilizing role hannah armstrong algeria expert international crisis group said algeria mediated talks leading peace deal mali sometimes suspected could prevent militants using desert spaces rear base it essential find ways partner algeria said soumeylou boubeye manga mali former intelligence chief as long shared evaluation imagine common course action west africa she initiative worldnews