France officially handed over its last military base in Senegal on Thursday, marking the end of its permanent military presence not only in the country but across much of West and Central Africa.

The handover ceremony took place in Dakar, attended by Senegalese Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Mbaye Cissé and General Pascal Yanni, head of French military operations in Africa. The event was described as historic, ending a military presence that dates back to Senegal’s independence in 1960.

The move follows a broader French military withdrawal from the Sahel region in recent years, including the closure of permanent bases in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Gabon. The latter now hosts a joint Gabonese-French training camp rather than a French base.

The French exit comes amid escalating jihadist violence in the Sahel, including a recent attack near Senegal’s borders.