Burkina Faso: demonstrators demand the departure of the last French soldiers
An anti-France sign held up during a demonstration after the January 2022 coup, ending the presidency of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré (photo illustration).
© OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
At the call of the collective of pan-African leaders, hundreds of people demonstrated this Sunday in Ouagadougou to say “no” to imperialism and to support the Transition led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
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On their sign, one could read “France releases”, “no to imperialism”, or even “down with the military agreements between Burkina and France”.
The demonstrators went to the Kamboinsin military camp, where the French special forces of Operation Saber were stationed.
They demand the departure of the rest of the soldiers and equipment by March 28 at the latest in order to preserve the fraternal relations that have always characterized the French and Burkinabe peoples.
Burkinabè, Russian and Malian flags in hand, the demonstrators say they do not understand the reasons for the presence of French soldiers in the camp, more than fifteen days after the expiry of the legal deadline.
“
What is the meaning of this forceps collaboration
?
Should we even still talk about collaboration
?
asks their spokesperson
According to the demonstrators, the presence of French soldiers on Burkinabe territory is now "
illegal
" and is therefore akin to mercenary activity.
Moumini Boly, the general secretary of the collective, warns that
the “stubbornness
” of French soldiers to stay in Burkina Faso against the popular will will “
inevitably cause unfortunate consequences and the collective cannot be responsible for them
”.
French soldiers from the Saber
task force
officially ended their operations from Burkina Faso on February 18.
In a press release, the general staff of the Burkinabè armies explained that logisticians were still on site for the demobilization of the equipment.
And a schedule will then be established by mutual agreement with the two parties.
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