Part 4/8:
The French military's decline in West Africa can be traced through a key series of military operations, escalations, and withdrawals:
2013: Operation Serval commences to counter insurgency threats in Mali.
August 2022: France exits Mali.
December 2022: Final troops depart from the Central African Republic.
January 2023: Burkina Faso orders French forces to leave.
December 2023: Immediate withdrawal of military personnel from Niger.
December 2024: France is compelled to exit Chad.
January 2025: Closure of bases in Gabon and Ivory Coast.
This phased withdrawal paints a picture of a strategic collapse, where former allies are now seeking new partnerships, primarily with Russia, further complicating the security landscape of West Africa.