Heavy Gunfire Reported at Burkina Faso Military Base
TimeNov 25, 2021
Burkina Faso: Dozens Killed In Suspected Jihadist Attacks
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Image copyright: Reuters [via Al Arabiya]
The Facts
At least 34 people were killed over the weekend by suspected Islamist militants in several attacks on villages in northern Burkina Faso, one of the world's poorest countries.
Government officials said Mon., that "armed men" killed 22 people late Sun. in Bourasso in the northwestern province of Kossi after the killing of 12 people during a raid on Sat. in Namissiguima in the northern province of Yatenga.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
For years, Washington has warned that jihadists are targeting West Africa while they continue to destabilize the Sahel. Various coups in recent years have hampered the efforts of Western powers, mostly France and the US, to get the situation under control by militarily supporting local governments. The coup in Burkina Faso is just one of the latest sad examples.
Establishment-critical narrative
The deteriorating security crisis in West Africa is primarily the result of the West's decade-long political and military interference under the guise of fighting terrorism. And it's no coincidence that anti-European and especially anti-French sentiments are on the rise. There is hope for the region only when it's no longer possible for the West to pursue its geopolitical interests unchallenged by pretending to "help."
