The head Burkina Faso’s transitional government has hailed the relationship with strategic allies Russia and Turkey in fight against terrorism.
Capt. Ibrahim Traore in a national television interview late on Thursday cited Türkiye as a “major ally,” assuring that his country will cooperate with those who want to help in the war on terrorism that has plagued Burkina Faso since 2015.
He also expressed satisfaction with the military’s cooperation with Russia.
Since the recent breakdown of military agreements with France, the country has turned to other “strategic” allies – notably Russia, North Korea and Türkiye.
“We have new cooperation. We have Russia, for example, which is a strategic ally. Luckily, most of our major military assets are Russian,” he said.
Several countries have categorically refused to sell equipment to Burkina Faso after Traore took power in September after a second coup with the same junta.
The interview was an opportunity for Traore to express himself concerning the massacre of dozens of civilians that occurred on April 20 in the village of Karma in the northern region.
A total of 136 bodies were buried, according to Col. Francois Yameogo, the director of military justice. The civilians were killed by men dressed in army uniforms, according to judicial and local sources.
Nationals and survivors of the Karma massacre reported that the village “lost 147 people unjustifiably and in atrocious conditions” in a statement Anadolu received late Thursday.
“Entire families have been decimated without any form of trial by those who are supposed to protect us,” it said.
“People must avoid making accusations without knowing what really happened,” said Traore.
He urged “avoiding hasty conclusions” and “letting the investigations take their course before making accusations.”
Traore said terrorists are exploiting the inadequacies of national laws and demanded that justice be allowed to “do its job.”
Terror groups are using treacherous methods – dressing in military garb like defence and security forces to conduct attacks, according to Defense Minister Kassoum Coulibaly.
“Faso Ma Patrie,” a civil society movement, announced a massive mobilization on May 6 to say: “No to the attempt to destabilise the Burkinabe nation” and to reaffirm support for transitional authorities, the army and its auxiliaries.
