Burkina Faso Receives Over 100 Citizens Turned Back from Côte d’Ivoire

The Burkinabe transitional government has reported that over 100 of its citizens were turned back from Côte d’Ivoire and received in Yendéré, a town on the border between the two countries.

Government spokesman Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo shared this information during a council of ministers meeting on Wednesday, noting that the returnees hail from the same community.

Ouédraogo conveyed that Captain Ibrahim Traoré has directed a government mission to Yendéré to assess the situation and ensure that the returnees are provided with a dignified welcome.

Although Ivorian authorities have not commented on this specific operation, it is important to note that in April 2024, the Ivorian Minister of the Interior and Security, Army Corps General Vagondo Diomandé, announced a plan to repatriate 55,000 Burkinabe refugees from June 2024.

Recent incidents have strained relations between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, particularly along their shared borders.

In late March 2024, a Burkinabe soldier and a civilian army auxiliary were arrested in northern Côte d’Ivoire for illegally crossing the border.

Earlier, on September 19, 2023, two Ivorian gendarmes were arrested on Burkinabe territory while at an illegal gold mining site. None of the detained soldiers from either side have been released, and negotiations are reportedly ongoing.

This latest development adds to the ongoing tensions and highlights the challenges faced by both nations in managing their borders and bilateral relations.

 

Report by Soleiman Kabore

 

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