Burkina Faso, a former French colony, has been facing an Islamic insurgency by groups linked to Boko Haram, Islamic State, etc. that have been active in the Sahel region for decades. In 2023, Burkina Faso decided to end a military accord that allowed French troops to fight insurgents on its territory. While this was ostensibly to allow Burkina Faso to take control of its own nation, concerns have been raised about a growing trend of increasing Russian presence in West Africa, especially in Burkina Faso.