PARIS, France
France said on Thursday that it was recalling its ambassador from Burkina Faso, a day after agreeing to demands from the ruling junta to pull out troops from the former French colony in Africa's Sahel region.
"In the context of the
latest developments in Burkina
Faso, we have decided to recall our ambassador to Paris for consultations on the
state and perspectives of our bilateral relations," the foreign ministry
said.
Burkina on Monday said it had
asked France to withdraw within a month its contingent of some 400 troops
currently stationed in the country and on Wednesday Paris agreed to do so.
It marked the latest scaling down of France's military presence in Africa after the junta in neighbouring Mali also insisted French troops leave and President Emmanuel Macron drew the curtain on the over decade-long anti-jihadist mission.
Both Mali and Burkina Faso
fell out with Paris after a military coup brought a junta to power and the
French presence became increasingly unpopular among the public.
Jihadist activity continues in
the region while concern grows over the increasing influence of Russia, in
particular through the presence of mercenaries from the Wagner Group run by an
ally of President Vladimir Putin.
Burkina is one of the poorest
and most volatile countries in Africa.
Thousands of troops, police
and civilians have been killed and around two million people have fled their
homes since jihadists launched an insurgency from neighbouring Mali in 2015.
More than a third of the
country lies beyond the control of the government, and frustration within the
army at the mounting toll triggered two coups last year. - AFP
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