France says to wind down Central African Republic force by year-end

France aims to scale back its military presence in Central African Republic by the end of the year, its defence minister said in a French media interview, as Paris continues to count on forthcoming elections to ease tension in the turbulent African country. France currently has around 900 troops in the country. "At the end of the year, our objective is to be back at a (troop) level close to what it was before the crisis," Jean-Yves Le Drian said in an interview with French business weekly Challe