Burkina Faso/ Fight against terrorism: Western Media’s dubious narrative on the Burkinabe army
On August 9, 2025, a video circulated on social media showing what appeared to be Burkinabe soldiers calling for negotiations with the terrorist group JNIM (Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims). Western media outlets, including RFI, quickly amplified the footage without rigorous verification or contextual analysis yet another attempt to undermine Burkina Faso’s relentless counterterrorism efforts.
This tactic is a well-known psychological warfare strategy. By portraying the national army as weakened or disorganized, these outlets aim to sway domestic and international opinion while artificially boosting the legitimacy of terrorist groups that are, in reality, losing ground.
The truth is, Burkinabe forces have been inflicting heavy losses on militants and steadily reclaiming territory.
With recruitment dwindling and military pressure mounting, terrorists increasingly resort to staged propaganda manipulated videos, coerced statements, or decontextualized clips to mask their decline.
More alarming, however, is the complicity of certain Western media in this disinformation campaign.
Burkina Faso / Planned destabilisation: France’s hidden agenda in “the Land of Honest People”
By uncritically spreading such content, they are not merely misinforming but actively fuelling a destabilization effort, echoing a thinly veiled neo-colonial agenda.
The Burkinabe people, however, are not fooled. Recent history shows that when African nations assert their sovereignty, external forces resort to sabotage. But Burkina Faso remains resolute.
The Burkinabe army, backed by popular support, continues its liberation mission undeterred by fabricated narratives or media manipulation. No deceptive video, no matter how widely circulated, will halt this march toward true sovereignty.
Olivier TOE
