But the French presidency said France remains engaged in the Sahel region with all its partners, committed to stability and to the fight against terrorism.
FranceFrance said on Monday that all of its troops battling Islamist militants in Mali since 2013 have now left the country after a decision in February to withdraw over the deterioration of relations between Paris and Bamako, reports The Globe and Mail.
“Today at 13:00 (Paris time), the last military unit of the Barkhane force present on Malian territory crossed the border between Mali and Niger,” a defence ministry statement said.
After almost a decade where they were based in Mali to fight Islamist insurgents around West Africa, France and military allies have said they would do so from Niger instead.
“France remains engaged in the (wider) Sahel (region), in the Gulf of Guinea and the Lake Chad region with all partners committed to stability and to the fight against terrorism,” the French presidency said in a statement.
