France is losing influence in the Sahel (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad) due to anti-French sentiment over its colonial past and failed counterterrorism efforts like Operation Barkhane. Military coups have led to juntas expelling French troops and aligning with Russia and China. Regional demands for sovereignty, backed by protests, have pushed France out of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad, while it shifts focus to economic ties with Anglophone African nations.