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Burkina to France: "OUT!"


FILE: France vs Burkina Faso flags on a wall with crack. Uploaded 9.30.2022
FILE: France vs Burkina Faso flags on a wall with crack. Uploaded 9.30.2022

Burkina Faso has confirmed it is asking France to pull its troops out of the insurgency-hit country within a month, a government spokesman said Monday.

"We are terminating the agreement which allows French forces to be in Burkina Faso. This is not the end of diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France," spokesman Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo told Radio-Television Burkina.

"This is not the end of diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France," he added.

"This termination is normal and is foreseen in the terms of the agreement," the spokesman said.

This, following Sunday's statement by French President Emmanuel Macron that he was awaiting clarifications from Burkina Faso's transitional President Ibrahim Traore about reported demands for the departure of French troops from the country.

Media outlet France 24 reported that France has 400 special forces soldiers stationed in junta-ruled Burkina to battle an Islamist insurgency, but relations have deteriorated in recent months.

AFP reports that Paris may consider redeployment of its Burkina-based toops to Niger, where France already has some 2,000 soldiers stationed.

This report was prepared with data sourced from France 24, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse

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