Edited by |Mohammed Rashid

Ouagadougou-Burkina Faso-January 23, 2023

France, the former colonial power, has been facing protests over its presence in Burkina Faso for several months,

and the news comes in the context of growing tension between the two countries for several months as Moscow tries to impose its influence through Wagner mercenaries in a country fragile due to jihadist attacks.

Several demonstrations were held, the latest of which was held last Friday in Ouagadougou to demand the withdrawal of France from this coastal country, which hosts a battalion of about 400 French special forces.

According to a letter from the Ouagadougou authorities sent by a diplomatic source, Burkina Faso has "requested the withdrawal of French troops from its territory within a month".

In this letter dated Wednesday from the Ministry of foreign affairs of Burkina Faso to Paris, Ouagadougou "suspends and puts a full stop to the agreement of December 17, 2018 on the status of the French armed forces" in Burkina Faso.

French President, during a Franco-German press conference in Paris, said that the news spreading in Ouagadougou since Saturday about the request for the withdrawal of French troops from Burkina Faso within a month creates "great confusion", noting that he is waiting for transitional President Ibrahim Traore to be able to "express".

French President Emmanuel Macron said about Burkina Faso's possible request for the withdrawal of French troops from its territory within a month: "I think we should wait a lot, waiting for clarifications from Traore."