Burkina Faso denounces international coalition plotting against Ouagadougou

Burkina Faso’s Defense Minister colonel-major Kassoum Coulibaly slammed what he called an international coalition plotting against the country, including violations of its airspace.

Coulibaly, who was speaking during a meeting with civil society organizations to update them on the fight against terrorism, did not reveal the names of alleged members of the coalition but said they are holding double language.

“We have made requests, but what do they bring us? We are acting on our own right now. Few people are intervening, even at the level of international organizations that we attend, we are telling them the same thing. It is not a matter of sitting down and saying that we are doing joint maneuvers together (…),” he said.
“Burkina Faso is only asking to be provided with the means to fight terrorism. We do not need a single foreign soldier to fight this war. We will handle this matter ourselves. Thank God, the population has responded massively to the call of the Head of State by registering as volunteers for the defense of the homeland (VDP). We asked for 50,000, we are at more than 90,000,” he added.

The West African country has been grappling since 2015 with terrorism and banditry. Several attacks staged by terror groups have caused death of thousands of civilians and caused internal and external displacement of populations.

The state has decreed a state of emergency in eight of the 13 regions that make up the country. Authorities have lost control of 40 per cent of the territory.