
This week, President Emmanuel Macron announced the official end of France's anti-jihadist mission in West Africa – Operation Barkhane. The move was accelerated by a collapse of relations with Mali's military junta, leading to the withdrawal of French troops as the jihadist insurgency across the Sahel continues.
At its peak, Operation Barkhane saw up to 5,500 French soldiers deployed in Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.