French army leaves Senegal, ending military presence in West Africa

France has officially handed over its two remaining military bases in Senegal, ending its military presence in West Africa. France returned Camp Geille, its largest base in Senegal, and its airfield at Dakars airport in a ceremony on Thursday attended by top French and Senegalese officials, including Senegalese Chief of the General Staff Mbaye Cisse and General Pascal Ianni, the head of the French forces in Africa. The pullout ends the French armys 65-year presence in Senegal and comes after similar withdrawals across the continent as former colonies increasingly turn their backs on the nation that once ruled them. Frances withdrawal from Senegal also comes as the Sahel region faces a growing conflict. The violence across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger is threatening Gulf of Guinea nations to the south. About 350 French soldiers, who had primarily been tasked with conducting joint operations with the Senegalese army, are now leaving the country, marking the end of a departure process that began in March. General Cisse said the handover marked an important turning point in the rich and long military journey of our two countries. France is reinventing partnerships in a dynamic Africa, Ianni said. We are turning a page in the military history of our two countries, a very special relationship and one essential for the countries of the region. In February, France handed back its sole remaining base in Ivory Coast, ending decades of French presence there. The month before, France turned over the Kossei base in Chad, its last military foothold in the Sahel region. The post French army leaves Senegal, ending military presence inWestAfrica appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.