Burkina Faso’s military junta has imposed a three-month suspension on Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts, alleging that the network’s coverage of militant attacks in the country and neighboring Mali undermines military morale. This action marks the latest in a series of measures targeting media freedom in the West African nation.
The state news agency, L’Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB), reported late Monday that the country’s media regulator criticized VOA’s September broadcast, claiming it was designed to “undermine the morale” of armed forces in both Burkina Faso and Mali.
Since coming to power in a 2022 coup, the junta has faced accusations of cracking down on journalists and activists. The government has suspended several media organizations and conscripted many of its critics into the armed forces.
This is not the first time VOA has faced restrictions in Burkina Faso. Earlier this year, both VOA and the BBC were suspended for two weeks following their coverage of a Human Rights Watch report detailing a mass killing of civilians allegedly carried out by the country’s armed forces.
The media regulator specifically took issue with VOA’s “Washington Forum” program, which reported on a rare attack by the al-Qaida-linked militant group JNIM on a military training camp and airport in Mali’s capital. The attack resulted in soldier casualties.
Additionally, the regulator criticized VOA’s coverage of an August militant attack in central Burkina Faso, where at least 100 villagers and soldiers were reportedly killed.
Burkina Faso has been grappling with violence for about a decade, as militant groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group clash with state-backed forces. The conflict has claimed over 20,000 lives, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization.
The ongoing violence has had a devastating impact on civilians, with both militants and state forces accused of targeting non-combatants. More than 2 million people have been displaced, with over half of them being children.
The suspension of VOA broadcasts raises concerns about press freedom and access to information in a region already struggling with conflict and instability. As of the time of reporting, VOA has not issued a statement regarding the suspension.
