In Burkina Faso, members of the Burkina-Russia movement were unable to demonstrate on Saturday April 23 in Ouagadougou. The movement had launched a call for mobilization, Place de la Nation, to support the national armed forces and invite the authorities to turn to Russia for a partnership, with the aim of better combating terrorism in Burkina Faso.
With our correspondent in Ouagadougou, Yaya Boudani
The demonstration was not authorized and the security forces used tear gas to disperse a few dozen people who were trying to regroup.
Thus, early in the morning, the internal security forces began by sealing off all the accesses to the Place de la Nation. The gendarmes were posted on the main roads leading to the place where the demonstration was to be held and vehicles were patrolling the center of the capital where there were not many people in the streets.
Demonstrators, carrying the flag of Russia and signs that read: “ We want Russia ” or ” Fatherland or death, we will overcome “, tried several times to regroup but they were dispersed with tear gas. They then decided to parade through the city by installing barricades at certain crossroads.
These demonstrators intended to demand from the current authorities of the country, a partnership with Russia in the face of the resurgence of attacks. ” The movement does not rule out the possibility of requesting a break with France reads their statement.
The High Commissioner of Kadiogo province had asked the organizers to ” stay » to the demonstration, « in view of the security context “.
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Faced with the situation, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces had asked all armed forces personnel to return to their base and set up intervention teams in all units.