On November 7, 2006, in Fort-de-France, Special Forces soldiers boarded a frigate. They had to board and inspect a cargo ship filled with drugs by a Colombian cartel. After a 96-hour chase, a record seizure was made by France: 4.5 tons of pure cocaine.

Friday, January 15, 2016, Ouagadougou. The Splendid Hotel, an establishment in the center of the Burkinabe capital, frequented by Western diplomats, women and businessmen and their clients, is the scene of a violent attack, followed by a massive hostage taking. The terrorists claimed to be from AQIM (Al Qaeda au Maghreb Islamique). The authorities of Burkina Faso, wishing to prevent the situation from deteriorating further, called in the French Special Forces from the ultra-secure camp of Zagré, in the northern suburbs.