France recalls ambassador to Burkina Faso, pulls out troops

By SYLVIE CORBET
The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — The French foreign ministry says it is recalling its ambassador to Burkina Faso for consultations, one day after Paris decided to withdraw troops from the West African country following a demand by its military rulers. A top official at the foreign ministry said the decision has been made “in the context of the latest developments in Burkina Faso” in order to conduct “consultations on the state and perspectives of our bilateral cooperation” with Ambassador Luc Hallade. The official requested anonymity in line with the French government’s customary practices. About 400 French special forces members were based in Burkina Faso as part of a broader military deployment aimed at fighting extremists in Africa’s Sahel region.