West Africa

Coup leader in Burkina Faso, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba has sacked the country’s military chief as well as the head of the intelligence agency. The former army chief, Brig Gen Gilbert Ouedraogo, has been replaced by the coup leader Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba – who will also serve as the country’s …

The military government in Mali has given the French ambassador three days to leave the country, as diplomatic relations between the two countries deteriorate. The French envoy to Mali, Joël Meyer, is ordered to leave the country following criticism of the junta. “The government of the Republic of Mali informs …

Over the weekend, attacks by gunmen on motorbikes in two communities in Nigeria’s Niger State left dozens dead and kidnapped, local media reported. The raids come two weeks after authorities in Nigeria launched a major military operation to crack down on bandits in the area. Residents of Galadima Kogo and …

One of Sierra Leone’s most senior judges, Nicolas Brown-Marke, is holding a session inside the Makeni prison facility in the north of the country, local media report. His is seeking to “right the wrong” of people spending long years in prison before conviction or acquittal, as well as instances of …

The African Union (AU) has suspended Burkina Faso, a week after the military overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and seized power. The institution said the country would be blocked from all AU activities until the restoration of constitutional order. The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has also …

France says dozens of militants have been killed in Burkina Faso in operations involving local and French troops, the BBC reports. The assaults were conducted as part of the French-led Operation Barkhane against Islamist groups in the Sahel region of Africa – before the 23 January coup. The French military …

Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop explained the main reason for the deterioration of diplomatic relations with France. According to the minister, tensions are growing with France because the French believe his country is not acting in their interests. Mr Diop dismissed French concerns about Mali’s alleged use of Russian mercenaries …

Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo, who currently chairs the West African bloc Ecowas, says a peaceful resolution must be found to the situation in Burkina Faso, where soldiers seized power earlier this week. Ecowas has already condemned the coup – the third in the region since last year – and West …

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Burkina Faso of its governing body after military coup that ousted president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. The regional bloc said its has decided to send a delegation to the capital Ouagadougou, Reuters reports, citing two diplomatic sources. It was not …

In his first speech on Thursday, Burkina Faso’s new military leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba said that the country will return to constitutional order when conditions are right. “When the conditions are right, according to the deadline that our people will define in all sovereignty, I commit to a return …