VIDEO: Malians burn EU flag, ‘sweep’ France away at pro-junta protest

Malian turn out in their numbers to celebrate the formal announcement of French troop withdrawing from the West African country.

A massive rally attended by persons from all walks of life was also a show of support for the Assimi Goita-led junta.

Some of the scenes witnessed included the burning of the European Union flag, symbolic sweeping of the streets to mark the exit of France.

Protesters also waved placards with French inscriptions such as “Get Out France,” “France is the terrorist,” “Thank you Wagner.”

Paris announced last week that all its troops in Mali, where for years they have been helping combat a spreading insurgency, were to be withdrawn and relocated to Niger.

A statement from Elysee Palace, the presidency, confirmed the move which was widely expected given recent bad blood between Bamako and Paris.

Even though France announced a strategic draw down, Bamako issued a statement on February 18 ordering the troops to leave immediately.

France said it will, however, continue to participate in anti-terrorism operations in the wider Sahel region

The allies (France and others within the EU) say they want to extend the geographical scope of their support, including to the countries of the Gulf of Guinea, a BBC report noted.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he was withdrawing troops from Mali after a breakdown in relations with the nation’s ruling military junta.

France first intervened in Mali in 2013 to combat a jihadist insurgency that emerged one year prior. It currently has around 4,600 troops stationed across the Sahel, 2,400 of them in Mali.