France has agreed to a request from Burkina Faso‘s military leaders to withdraw all its troops from the country.
In the midst of a jihadist insurgency, Burkina Faso claims it wants to protect itself.
Four hundred French special troops are now stationed in Burkina Faso, and they have one month to leave.
France also withdrew neighboring Mali last year after eight years of fighting jihadist extremists there.
In West Africa, France has maintained strong military relations with many of its former colonies and has assisted a number of countries in battling jihadists operating there under the now terminated Operation Barkhane.
However, because of its ongoing economic ties, some people have grown resentful of its role, which Russia has exploited.
Currently, Wagner, a Russian mercenary force, is cooperating with both Mali and the Central African Republic.
Burkina Faso has dismissed suggestions that it will work with the Wagner Group to combat the jihadists, but news reports claims that a liaison team from the mercenaries has already visited.
A representative of the French foreign ministry acknowledged that the Burkinabè government had sent a written request for its troops to leave.
“We will respect the terms of the agreement by honouring this request,” the spokesperson said.
A decade-long insurrection in Burkina Faso has driven over two million people from their homes.
Most recently, alleged jihadists abducted some 60 women in the country’s north who were out gathering food, and at the beginning of the month, and the bodies of 28 individuals who had been shot dead were discovered in the northwest town of Nouna. The women have since been released.
Since Capt Ibrahim Traoré seized power in Burkina Faso in September, there has been widespread speculation that he might start working with Russian mercenaries, which neighbouring Ghana described as “distressing”.
In addition to promising to organize democratic elections in July 2024, Capt. Traoré has also pledged to retake territory from the jihadists.
Author-Roberta Appiah
