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Burkina Faso Extends Military Mobilization to Fight Extremists


FILE—A mural is seen in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, March 1, 2023.
FILE—A mural is seen in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, March 1, 2023.

OUAGADOUGOU— Burkina Faso's military junta plans to extend by a year a "general mobilization" introduced to help combat jihadist attacks, according to an official document seen by AFP on Thursday.

Captain Ibrahim Traore, the transitional president who came to power in a 2022 coup, brought in the measure in April last year to give authorities power to requisition people from the age of 18 if needed.

The West African nation has been battered by a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015.

Thousands of civilians, troops and police have been killed, two million people have fled their homes and anger within the military at the mounting toll sparked two coups in 2022.

A decree, which expires on April 18, will be extended by a year "in order to consolidate the achievements and to continue the fight against terrorism in our country," the text said.

The decree also stipulated that people can organize themselves "under the supervision of the defense and security forces" to defend their village against "all forms of threats, including terrorist groups."

Individual and collective rights and freedoms can also "in some cases be restricted or limited," it also said.

There have been several reported kidnappings of people deemed hostile to the military regime.

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