Burkina Faso announces French army operation officially over
The Hindu
Burkina's Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyelem de Tembela declared Russia to be a "reasonable" choice of new partner in the anti-jihadist fight
Burkina Faso announced on February 19 that operations by the French army in the jihadist-hit West African state were officially over, after bilateral relations soured in recent months.
Senior officers from Burkinabe and French forces in the country held a flag-lowering ceremony to mark the occasion at a camp on the outskirts of the capital Ouagadougou on Saturday, Burkina's army said in a statement.
Last month France confirmed it would withdraw its contingent of hundreds of troops stationed in Burkina Faso, after the junta ruling the Sahel country demanded the force pull out within four weeks.
The request came days after Burkina's Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyelem de Tembela declared Russia to be a "reasonable" choice of new partner in the anti-jihadist fight.
"This does not mean the end of diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France," government spokesman Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo told broadcaster RTV following the announcement.
Also Read | Explained | The ouster of Burkina Faso’s leader in second military coup in a year
Some of the troops left days after that announcement.
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