The military junta has ordered the arrest of “false beggars” and “street vendors” suspected of “espionage”
September 6 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Authorities in Burkina Faso have claimed to have removed more than 300 people living in poverty from the streets of the country after ordering the arrest of “false beggars” and “street vendors” suspected of carrying out “espionage” activities in the African country.
According to information gathered by the Burkinabe state news agency, AIB, a total of 317 people facing exclusion have been “taken off the streets” in seven regions following the order given by the Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana.
Sana said on Wednesday that “malicious individuals are conducting hostile surveillance of certain sensitive locations under various covers, including begging and street vending of various items,” while calling on the public to report any suspicious behavior to the authorities.
In this regard, he “called” on the population to “abandon such behaviour and activities, particularly around main arteries and road junctions, public administrations, barracks of the Defence and Security Forces, hospitals and other sensitive places.”
The military junta had already urged the population in August to report “individuals, movements or objects suspected of being linked to security threats” in the country, which is plagued by jihadist groups linked to Al Qaeda or Islamic State and has recently faced an attempt at “destabilisation” by foreign countries, said the transitional president, Ibrahim Traoré.
Burkina Faso, ruled since 2022 by a military junta headed by Traoré, has experienced a significant increase in insecurity since 2015 due to the presence of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the branch of Al Qaeda in the Sahel, and the branch of the Islamic State in this region of the African continent, which has led to a wave of internally displaced persons and refugees to other Sahel countries.
Add Comment