"Black Panther 2, Deception of Our Military" French Defense Minister's Anger

Claims of Negative Portrayal of French Troops in Certain Movie Scenes

The French Minister of Defense expressed dissatisfaction with the Hollywood movie 'Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever' (Black Panther 2), which was released last November. The reason was that the French military was portrayed negatively in some scenes of the film.

S?bastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defense, posted on his official Twitter account on the 12th (local time) a clip from 'Black Panther 2' along with a statement condemning "the false and deceptive portrayal of our military."

He added, "I honor the 58 French soldiers who died defending Mali and fighting against Islamic extremist terrorist groups at Mali's request."

The video Lecornu posted from 'Black Panther 2' shows French soldiers who were captured while conducting an operation at a secret base in the fictional African country of Wakanda being brought to a UN meeting.

A tweet posted by S?bastien Lecornu, French Minister of Defense. / Photo by Twitter

This video was first posted on journalist Jean Bexon's Twitter account, and controversy arose as claims surfaced that the French soldiers' uniforms in the video resembled those worn by French troops deployed during Operation Barkhane in Mali.

Mali, a West African country, was a French colony in the 19th century. Although it is now independent, it maintains close diplomatic relations with France, including membership in the Francophonie (an international organization of French-speaking countries).

The French government has been involved in the Malian civil war since 2013, deploying fighter jets and infantry units to support the Malian government forces. Operation Barkhane was conducted that year by France to counter Islamic extremist rebels. The operation officially ended on November 9 last year, with 58 French soldiers losing their lives during the mission.

Meanwhile, Black Panther 2, produced by Marvel Studios under Disney, was officially released in the United States on November 11 last year. The film depicts the African nation of Wakanda being threatened by global powers.