Burkina Faso Suspends Voice Of America For Three Months

Burkina Faso Suspends Voice Of America For Three Months
Burkina Faso Suspends Voice Of America For Three Months

The Superior Council for Communication (CSC) accused VOA of demoralising Burkinabe and Malian troops after a report on September 19 described a recent jihadist attack on Bamako as “courageous” and criticised security operations.

Burkina Faso has suspended Voice of America (VOA) for three months, citing comments related to jihadist attacks in the Sahel region.

This suspension comes amid rising tensions surrounding the country’s handling of Islamist insurgencies, AgenziaNova reports.

The Superior Council for Communication (CSC) accused VOA of demoralising Burkinabe and Malian troops after a report on September 19 described a recent jihadist attack on Bamako as “courageous” and criticised security operations.

According to the CSC, the report also contained an inaccurate death toll from an August attack in Burkina Faso that left hundreds of persons dead.

As part of the action, the CSC has also halted synchronisation between national and international media sources until further notice. VOA has not yet commented on the situation.

Burkina Faso, alongside other Sahel countries like Mali and Niger, continues to face severe Islamist insurgencies linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State, with the conflict displacing millions and causing thousands of deaths since it began in 2012.

Frustration with authorities’ response to the insurgency has led to multiple coups in the region, including Burkina Faso’s own military junta seizing power in September 2022.

The junta had previously suspended VOA, BBC Africa, and other outlets for their coverage of alleged human rights violations by the Burkinabe military, which the army denies.

Most recently, the CSC revoked the frequencies of France’s RFI radio without explanation, following a pattern of media restrictions in the country.