At a press conference this morning French President Emmanuel Macron said that France’s military withdrawal from Mali will take four to six months, during which time there will be fewer operations against Islamist militants in the Sahel.

Macron made the statement after African and Western leaders met in Paris on Wednesday night to plan how to fight militants in the Sahel region once France and its European allies withdraw troops out of Mali.

The Barkhane and Takuba anti-jihadist operations in Mali said the withdrawal was due to “multiple obstructions” by Mali’s ruling military junta.

The decision came after relations between France and Mali broke down after the country’s rulers did not act on an agreement to organise polls in February, and accepted private Russian military contractors.