Burkina Faso's Military Ruler Denies Allegations of Involvement with Russian Mercenaries

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Ibrahim Traore, the military Head of State in Burkina Faso, has vehemently refuted claims made by Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo regarding Burkina Faso's alleged association with Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group. 

In an interview with Alain Foka, President Traore unequivocally dismissed the allegations, labeling them as false and baseless assertions made the previous year.

Related To This: Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Withdraw from ECOWAS

In his response without directly naming individuals, President Traore rebuked the accusations made by President Akufo-Addo, stating, "Unfortunately we have seen heads of state [Akufo-Addo] who fell into that lies and went to tell the lie that we supposedly gave mines in our southern part to Russia. 

That’s a lie." He further clarified that Burkina Faso follows its mining regulations, emphasizing that any entity, including Russian interests, must adhere to the country's established protocols for mining operations.


President Akufo-Addo had raised these concerns during the US-Africa Summit in Washington, insinuating that Burkina Faso had engaged Russian mercenaries, particularly the Wagner forces, and implied that mineral resources were offered as compensation. 

In response to these remarks, Burkina Faso's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed disapproval and suggested that accurate information should have been sought through diplomatic channels rather than making public allegations.

Related To This: Akufo-Addo Fumes at Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger's Withdrawal from ECOWAS

President Traore refuted the allegations as "fake news" and reiterated the requirement for any external entity, including Russia, to comply with Burkina Faso's mining laws, obtain licenses, and fulfill tax obligations. 

He underscored his unwavering commitment to Burkina Faso's sovereignty, affirming, "If it was the deal to serve one master in place of another master, I would have rather died than do that because we say our ‘homeland or death’."

Related To This: ECOWAS Mediator Denies Accusations of Ecowas Under Foreign Influence

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