The armies of African nations are struggling to hold ground, leaving entire areas undefended, and the French have decided to reduce their military support to the region. As a result, local people were forced to take up arms to defend themselves.

Our team traveled to central Mali, the heart of the Dogon homeland. We followed the Dan Na Ambassagou militia there, made up of a thousand men armed with old guns.

We also visited Mauritania, a pioneering country in the fight against terrorism. We had exceptional access to the Mauritanian army during an operation led by the GSI, the Special Intervention Group.

Mauritania also has a special police force that can reach the most remote parts of the territory. They use an unusual means of transport: camels! Colonel El-Khalil and his company of horsemen plunge into the desert for several weeks, in order to gather information from the nomadic peoples.