Burkina Faso confirms having requested the departure of French troops
The marine commandos are part of the French special forces engaged as part of the "Sabre" Force in the Sahel.
RFI/Olivier Fourt
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The spokesperson for the government of Burkina Faso confirmed on Monday January 23, 2023 that the Burkinabè authorities have requested the departure of French troops based in the country, within one month.
“
What we denounce is the agreement that allows French forces to be present in Burkina Faso.
It is not about the end of diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France
,” said Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo in an interview on Radio-Télévision du Burkina (RTB).
Advertising
Read more
Burkina Faso has indeed requested the departure of French troops based in the country, within a month, indicated the government spokesperson on January 23, 2023. “
French forces are based in Ouagadougou on the request of Burkina Faso and its authorities
, said Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, in an interview on Radio-Télévision du Burkina (RTB).
This denunciation is in the normal order of things, it is provided for in the terms of the military agreement
”.
He also specified on the RTB that “
what we are denouncing is the agreement that allows French forces to be present in Burkina Faso.
This is not the end of diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France
”.
"At the current stage, we see no reason for the French side not to respect the terms of an agreement it has signed."
Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, spokesperson for the Burkinabè government
On Sunday January 22, French President Emmanuel Macron said he was waiting for “
clarifications
” on a possible request for the departure of French troops, questioned after the publication of
a dispatch from the Burkinabè Information Agency
(AIB) affirming that the government had “
acted
” this withdrawal “
from its territory
”.
"
At the current stage we do not see how to make it clearer than that
," added Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo on Monday.
Burkina Faso currently hosts a contingent of nearly 400 French special forces, the Saber force.
This West African country, particularly in its northern half, has been facing increasing attacks from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) organization since 2015.
They left thousands dead and at least two million displaced.
Read also: Burkina Faso: new demonstration against the French military presence in Ouagadougou
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
Burkina Faso
France
sahel