France plays down Burkina Faso’s espionage accusations following arrest of French people reportedly from intelligence services

A source at France’s Foreign ministry rubbished accusations by Burkina Faso authorities of espionage in the wake of the arrest of four French men in Ouagadougou early December, holding diplomatic passports and visas.

The reaction came after Paris-based news magazine Jeune Afrique reported Tuesday that four French men believed agents of the country’s foreign intelligence Agency (DGSE) have been detained since December 1st and are being interrogated secretly in a prison in capital Ouagadougou.

The men, according to the magazine, arrived in the West African country as part of continued cooperation between Burkina Faso’s intelligence service and DGSE.

Ties between the two countries have gone sour since September 2022, after incumbent leader Captain Ibrahim Traore ascended to power in a military coup. The diplomatic source denied that the men are DGSE agents while claiming that they are IT experts in the country for an assignment at the French embassy.

“The French government takes note of the ongoing legal proceedings, but rejects accusations that these technicians were sent to Burkina Faso for reasons other than their computer maintenance work,” the source said. “It demands their immediate return to France,” the source added.

The French consul, according to the source, visited the French men in prison. Togo is mediating talks between the two countries to secure the liberation of the alleged DGSE agents.

However, although French diplomats played down the incident, the arrest of four French citizens reflects the deterioration in relations between the two countries.