FILE PHOTO: French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian attends a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo, Egypt January 8, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

PARIS (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday he hoped the United States would have the “good sense” not to withdraw its support for French military operations in West Africa, where al Qaeda and Islamic State-linked groups are expanding their foothold.

France has about 4,500 troops operating in the Sahel region.

He also told a news conference he had no new information on three French nationals who went missing last week in Iraq.