Mass Rally in Burkina Faso Backs President Traoré Amid U.S. Criticism

Thousands gathered in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, to support transitional President Captain Ibrahim Traoré following critical remarks from U.S. Africa Command’s General Michaël Langley. Langley accused Traoré of exploiting the nation’s mining resources for the junta’s benefit rather than for the people. Protesters, including artist Ocibi Joan, condemned the comments as lies and defended the country’s right to manage its own resources. Demonstrators vowed to protect Traoré, drawing comparisons to past assassinations like that of Captain Thomas Sankara. The rally followed the announcement of a thwarted coup plot and was attended by officials, including Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, who called for national sovereignty and liberation across the Sahel.

Courts Rule on Tidjane Thiam

The courts have ruled that Tidjane Thiam lost his Ivorian nationality when he acquired French citizenship in 1987, his lawyer said Tuesday. Soon to be removed from the electoral roll, the opposition leader will no longer be able to run in the presidential election scheduled for six months from now.

54 Beninese soldiers killed

54 Beninese soldiers were killed and more than a dozen others injured in two simultaneous jihadist attacks in northern Benin on Thursday, April 17. The attacks took place in the so-called “Triple Point” region, where the Beninese army had already been the target of a particularly deadly assault on January 8. The government of Benin has confirmed that 54 soldiers were killed in a deadly attack by suspected jihadist insurgents. Government spokesman Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji announced the revised the death toll during a press briefing on Wednesday, April 22,2025 significantly raising the earlier count of eight fatalities.

ECOWAS Celebrations of 50th Anniversary

The Authorities of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) launches the beginning of activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the regional bloc today, April 22, 2025, in Accra Ghana.