Senegal says it’s closing ‘all foreign military bases,’ a move aimed at French troops in the country

Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal’s prime minister has announced the closure of “all foreign military bases” in the country, a statement essentially aimed at France, the African nation’s former colonial ruler. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko did not set out a timeline for the exit of troops in making the announcement on Friday, during his general policy statement to the National Assembly. He said that Senegal’s president has “decided to close all foreign military bases in the very near future.” France has suffered similar setbacks in several West African countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which have cut back on military ties. France had been present for decades in the region.