PARIS
France will increase its defense spending by 3.8 billion euros ($4.2 billion) over the next four years to fight terrorism at home and abroad, President Francois Hollande announced on Wednesday.
The money will help pay for Operation Sentinelle, which will see 7,000 troops permanently posted to sensitive sites around the country, the president said following a Defense Council meeting of ministers and military chiefs.
The rise reverses some planned military cuts in the wake of January’s terror attacks in Paris. The announcement came nearly three months after 17 people were killed by jihadists who initially targeted the Charlie Hebdo magazine’s offices.
The extra money – on top of France’s 31.4 billion euro annual defense budget – will pay for operations to 2019 and will protect 18,500 of 34,000 military jobs earmarked for cuts.
Last week Prime Minister Manuel Valls said France had prevented five planned terror attacks since January.
The extra money will also boost French troops abroad. The country is involved in the anti-Daesh campaign in Iraq and has been involved in recent operations in Mali and the Central African Republic.
