Strasbourg 30.04.2024 “The European Union expresses its strong emotion and strong condemnation following the publication of the Human Rights Watch report published on April 25, 2024, documenting the summary execution of more than 200 civilians, including many children, in two localities in the north of the country on February 25. She sends her deep condolences to the victims and the entire Burkinabè population” reads the statement by the spokesperson of the European External Action Service on the latest events in Burkina Faso.

The link to the HRW report on Burkina Faso is here: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2022/country-chapters/burkina-faso

“In a worrying context of multiplication of these abuses and atrocities, the European Union calls on the transitional authorities to quickly launch an independent and impartial investigation, to identify and bring to justice the culprits of these crimes”.

“The European Union also regrets the decision of the transitional authorities to suspend several international news channels as well as several international media websites. Freedom of expression and the right to information are essential elements of the rule of law” the statement of the EU diplomacy concludes.

The EU provided €188.6 million in humanitarian assistance to the Sahel and €4.5 billion in support for the G5 Sahel joint counterterrorism force, including for the human rights due diligence framework, which presses governments to ensure their forces respect human rights during operations, the HRW underlines. (Videos on HRW Twitter page)

France, Burkina Faso’s leading bilateral donor, provides military training to Burkinabé troops and supported security operations in the Sahel region through its 5,100-strong Operation Barkhane counterinsurgency operation, which is set to draw down in 2022.

Russia has tried to use the the void. Under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traore, who took power in a second coup in September 2022, Burkina Faso has strengthened its military cooperation with Kremlin, intensely seeking support from Moscow in its fight against armed groups. It was an assumed option by Traore to make Russia the paramount partner, replacing all other partners, namely, Westerners and mainly France, the experts claimed.