Burkina Faso confirms it has ended French military accord

Burkina Faso has decided to end a military accord that allowed French troops to fight armed groups in the country, the government has said.

France deploys about 400 special forces soldiers in Burkina Faso, which is ruled by a military government, but relations have deteriorated and tensions have soared in recent months.

Both Burkina Faso and Mali are ruled by military governments that seized power by force in the last two years, promising to improve security and burning bridges with their traditional allies.

Since the army seized power in Burkina Faso last September, several demonstrations have taken place calling for the departure of the French ambassador, as well as the French troops.

The French army’s departure from Mali coincided with the military government’s decision to hire Russian mercenaries to help it fight armed group fighters, a move Western countries strongly condemned.