Four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year were released through Moroccan mediation, easing diplomatic tensions.

Four French nationals who had been detained in Burkina Faso for a year have been released, thanks to mediation from Morocco, France, and Morocco confirmed on Thursday, resolving a diplomatic dispute over their imprisonment.

The head of France's foreign intelligence agency, the DGSE, had previously referred to the individuals as spies.

Neither the DGSE nor the French military, which oversees the intelligence agency, responded to requests for comment.

The four individuals had been held in Ouagadougou since December 2023.

In a statement, the French presidency said President Emmanuel Macron expressed gratitude on Wednesday to Morocco's King Mohammed VI for his mediation, "which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year."

Morocco's foreign ministry also commended King Mohammed VI and Burkina Faso's President Ibrahim Traore, describing the release as "this humanitarian act" and emphasizing the positive relations between the countries.

France and Morocco had endured three years of tensions stemming from disputes over immigration issues and the Western Sahara territory. However, the two nations reconciled in October following a series of diplomatic moves, renewing their historically close ties.

Morocco maintains strong relations with Burkina Faso and other military-led states in the Sahel region, offering them access to global trade routes through the Atlantic Ocean.

In contrast, France's relationship with its former colonies in West and Central Africa, including Burkina Faso, has deteriorated. Ouagadougou has expelled French troops and diplomats, removed France's defense attaché and ambassador, and suspended certain French media outlets.