Burkina Faso's capital witnesses anti-French protests

Popular demonstrations in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, on Friday, are the latest expression of growing anti-French sentiment across the West African country.

Protestors in Ouagadougou chanted anti-France slogans and held banners calling on the French army to leave the country.

Hundreds demonstrated in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou, demand the departure of the French ambassador Luc Hallad Alias El Diablo. pic.twitter.com/NBsvA7r8oy
— African News feed. (@africansinnews) January 20, 2023

Some demonstrators have also set French flags on fire, while others used them as trash bags.

A protestor called and said, "We want to show France that we don't need it anymore."

Burkina Faso's military gov't asks French Ambassador to leave country

Earlier, on January 3rd, Burkina Faso's military government asked the French Ambassador to leave the country after he asked his compatriots to move out of a city due to security concerns, French newspaper Le Monde reported, citing sources.

Luc Hallade, who has served since 2019 as ambassador, was asked to leave Burkina Faso in a letter that the country's government sent in late December to the French Foreign Ministry, according to Le Monde, which sources in the African nation's government confirmed the content of the letter.

The newspaper also stated that the authorities did not provide any reasons for the decision, while some sources said that the foreign ministry decided to take such action against Hallade due to a letter he sent to French citizens in early December asking the French people to move out of the city of Kodagu due to security reasons.