This declaration comes three weeks after the denunciation, by the transitional government, of the defense agreements binding the two countries.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
The Burkinabé army acted, Sunday, February 19, the end of the operations of the French force baptized saber in Burkina Faso. This announcement comes three weeks after the denunciation of defense agreements binding the two countries by the transitional government, in this country in the grip of jihadist violence.
“The general staff of the armies and the command of the Saber Force organized this Saturday, February 18, 2023 in the grounds of the Bila Zagré camp in Kamboincin [on the outskirts of Ouagadougou], a solemn ceremony for descent of flags marking the official end of the operations of [La Force française] “, according to a press release from the Burkinaad staff.
According to the text, this ceremony was presided over by the chief of the Burkinabé army, Colonel Adam Néré, and the French lieutenant-colonel Louis Lecacher, representing the commander of the Saber Force, a contingent of four hundred men of special forces.
soldiers still present
“The disengagement of the remaining equipment and equipment of saber will be finalized by a team of logisticians deployed for this purpose, according to a chronogram defined in agreement with the general staff of the armies”, also specifies the press release which does not mention The number of French soldiers still in the country.
According to a Burkinabé security source, “a large part of the soldiers have already left”. Asked about the effective departure date of the last soldiers, a spokesperson for the French army did not wish to answer. A French government source said that soldiers were still present in Burkina Faso, without specifying the number.
In a letter dated January 18, the Burkinabé government had denounced the agreement relating to the status of French forces in the country, leaving them a month to leave the country. A departure made by Paris a few days later.