Ivory Coast says French troops to leave West African nation

> France, whose colonial rule in West Africa ended in the 1960s, has already pulled its soldiers out of **Mali**, **Burkina Faso** and **Niger** following military coups in those countries and growing anti-French sentiment.
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> The government of **Chad** – a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the region – abruptly ended its defence co-operation pact with France in November.

France is suddenly losing a ton of influence in the region.