France agrees to withdraw troops from Burkina Faso

France has agreed to a request from Burkina Faso’s military leaders to withdraw all its troops from the country.

France said it would also recall its ambassador to the country for consultations, noting that there are currently 400 French Special Forces in the country, who have just one month to leave.

Burkina Faso, which is currently battling an Islamist insurgency, says it wants to defend itself.

France has kept close military links with many of its former colonies in West Africa and has been helping several of them fight jihadists.