Burkina Faso’s junta has suspended US-funded broadcaster Voice of America for three months over comments about a militant insurgency in West Africa’s Sahel region, and temporarily banned local news outlets from using any international media reports, authorities.
The superior council for communication (CSC) accused Voice of America (VOA) of demoralising troops in Burkina Faso and neighbouring Mali in a discussion on September 19 that was also broadcast by a private local radio station.
It said the reporter described an attack on Bamako last month as “courageous”, criticised security operations and provided an unfounded death toll for an attack on a Burkina Faso town that killed hundreds in August, according to Reuters.
Last month, the CSC withdrew the radio frequencies of France’s popular RFI radio, which regularly reports on the Sahel. It did not provide an explanation for its removal.
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