The Burkina Faso government clarified on Monday that it has asked France to pull its troops out of the insurgency-hit country within a month.

France has around 400 special forces soldiers stationed in junta-ruled Burkina, but relations have deteriorated in recent months.

“We are terminating the agreement which allows French forces to be in Burkina Faso,” government spokesman Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo told Radio-Television du Burkina.

“This is not the end of diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France,” he added.

“This termination is normal and is foreseen in the terms of the agreement,” the spokesman said.