Last French Soldiers Depart CAR

The last French soldiers deployed to the Central African Republic (CAR) have departed, reports Agence France-Presse.

On Friday, 47 members of a French logistics unit, the last of a contingent of 130 soldiers, left Bangui airport on a C-130 transport aircraft.

At its peak, France had 1,600 troops on the ground as part of Operation Sangaris, which ran from 2013 to 2016.

Last year, Paris made the decision to end its military mission in the CAR.

Since 2018, the CAR has strengthened ties with Russia, including inviting Russian advisers and mercenaries to bolster security.