 "Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation of 20 million, has been ravaged in the past eight years by violence from extremist groups loosely affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, and from the fighting between government forces and the militants. File Image- FP")
The Russian private military company Bear Brigade said that it is withdrawing 100 of its paramilitary officers from Burkina Faso to help in the war in Ukraine.
The group said on its Telegram channel “Its forces would return home to support Russia’s defence against Ukraine’s recent offensive in the Kursk region.
Nearly 300 soldiers from the Bear Brigade, a Russian private military company arrived in Burkina Faso in May to support the country’s military junta. The departure of 100 soldiers raises concerns that Islamist insurgents could be emboldened, especially following a recent attack that resulted in the deaths of up to 300 people—one of the most significant assaults in years.
Earlier this year, a contingent of Russian military personnel were deployed in Burkina Faso in what appeared to be the first significant deployment of Russian troops to the West African country, two foreign security sources said on Thursday.
The junta-led country’s relations with Moscow have been in the spotlight since it booted out French troops in early 2023, fuelling speculation it would deepen security ties with Russia like neighbouring Mali, where Russian Wagner mercenaries operate.
Growing Russian security ties with Africa, including countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger where military leaders have seized power in coups, are a source of concern to the U.S. and other Western governments.
Burkina Faso went through two coups in just 10 months, the second last year after which a military junta threw out French forces and turned to Russia for security support. However, the junta has struggled to contain the security and humanitarian crisis.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsBurkina Faso has topped the list of the world’s biggest neglected crises for the second year in a row, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. A record 6.3 million out of 20 million people will need humanitarian assistance in 2024, the aid organization said, with many on the brink of starvation. Two million people remain internally displaced, about 60% of them children. Many have been traumatized, but resources to help them are scarce.
With inputs from agencies.