The military leadership in Burkina Faso has halted the circulation of the French daily newspaper, Le Monde, following its coverage of a fatal militant assault in the country’s north.
Communication Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo labeled the article concerning the attack on a military base from a week ago as “biased.”
While the United Nations reported a death toll of at least 40 civilians, Burkina Faso’s security sources referred to “a few” military casualties.
In recent months, Burkinabè authorities have suspended several French media platforms, including the broadcaster RFI and the political magazine Jeune Afrique.
Tensions between Burkina Faso and its former colonial ruler, France, have intensified following the military’s seizure of power in a coup last year, citing inadequacies in addressing a jihadist insurgency that began in 2015.
Furthermore, Burkina Faso and Niger declared their withdrawal from the French-supported G5 Sahel force on Saturday.
