France and its allies in a European force will withdraw their troops from Mali after almost a decade.
The troops have been involved in the fight against Islamist militants in the country since 2013.
President Emmanuel Macron said the decision to leave followed a breakdown in diplomatic relations, amid growing hostility from Mali’s governing military junta.
The forces will be re-deployed elsewhere in Africa’s Sahel region.
He refuted claims that the withdrawal was an acceptance of failure and insisted that France remained committed to combating Islamist insurgencies in the region.
He added that Niger had agreed to host some of the withdrawing forces.
The planned withdrawal is expected to happen over a four- to six-month period.
Almost 5,000 French troops are deployed in the region to combat Islamist insurgencies as part of Operation Barkhane, with around 2,400 of those located at three bases in northern Mali.
