Without going into detail about what had occurred, Burkina Faso’s military junta claimed on Wednesday that security and intelligence services had prevented a coup attempt the day before.
In a statement, it said officers and others had plotted to destabilise the country with the dark intention of attacking the institutions of the Republic and plunging our country into chaos.
It did not identify anyone but said some arrests had been made, and searches continued for others. “Investigations will help unmask the instigators of this plot,” the statement obtained by Reuters was quoted as saying. The military prosecutor later said four people had been detained, and two were on the run. In a statement said it hadA opened an investigation based on credible allegations about a plot against state security implicating officers on Wednesday.
On Monday, the junta suspended French news magazine Jeune Afrique for publishing “untruthful” articles that reported tension and discontent within Burkina Faso’s armed forces. The next day, thousands of pro-junta demonstrators took to the streets of the capital, Ouagadougou, and elsewhere to show their support, citing rumours of a brewing mutiny against the authorities.
The junta came to power after two military coups last year, triggered partly by a worsening insurgency by armed groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State that has destabilised Burkina Faso and its neighbours in West Africa’s Sahel region. Over 50 Burkinabe soldiers and volunteer fighters were killed in clashes with militants in early September—the heaviest losses in months.
South Africa’s struggle veteran Aziz Pahad dies, aged 82
South African anti-apartheid struggle veteran Aziz Pahad has died at age 82, his family announced. A statement said he passed away at his home in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening.
The family described him as a patriot and freedom fighter who dedicated his life to the governing ANC party and serving South Africans. Pahad joined the struggle against apartheid rule at a very young age. In 1964, he went into exile in the UK, where he went on to coordinate the international call to free imprisoned ANC leader Nelson Mandela.
Pahad returned to South Africa in 1990 after the white-minority government, led by FW de Klerk, freed Mr. Mandela. After the democratic election in 1994, Mr. Pahad served as deputy foreign affairs minister for 14 years, first under Mr. Mandela and then under President Thabo Mbeki. In 2014, former President Jacob Zuma appointed him as his envoy on the crisis in the Middle East.
Pahad documented his political life in his memoir, Insurgent Diplomat. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said, “We will always cherish the sacrifices and contributions he made towards freedom in our motherland.” The BBC.
US to restrict visas on those ‘undermining’ Liberia polls
BBC World Service reports that the United States has announced it will impose visa restrictions on anyone undermining elections in Liberia next month.
It said the move targeted those undermining democracy in Liberia, including through manipulating or rigging the electoral process. The State Department said the policy reflected a commitment to support Liberians in their desire for a free and fair vote. It did not name any specific individuals.
President George Weah is seeking a second term in office. He’ll face opposition leader Joseph Boakai, the defeated candidate in the last election five years ago.
South Sudan leader in Russia for talks with Putin
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir is in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The visit comes at a time when Russia and Western powers are trying to woo African support in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.
According to a statement from the president’s press unit, Kiir arrived in the Russian capital on Wednesday and was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko Yurevich.
Kiir’s office says the meeting with the Russian president on Thursday will discuss prospects for developing bilateral relations in various areas, as well as regional and international issues.
According to BBC News, the statement added that the visit aims at deepening diplomatic relations and exploring other areas of cooperation on trade, investment opportunities, and security.
The statement added that the two leaders will also discuss the lifting n arms embargo and targeted sanctions imposed on individuals in South Sudan. In May, Russia abstained from the United Nations Security Council vote to renew sanctions imposed on South Sudan, which include asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo.
Ghanaian awarded for work promoting safe abortions
A doctor in Ghana, Dr Eunice Brookman-Amissah, has been recognised for spearheading talks on women’s reproductive rights in Africa and paving the way for liberalized abortion laws and improved safe abortion access.
She is among this year’s winners of the Right Livelihood Award, popularly known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize”. She expresses optimism it will bring the world’s attention to the issue of unsafe abortions, especially in Africa.
Eunice told the BBC it was a “great honour” to be recognised and to receive the award, and she hopes it would further strengthen their hand to safeguard the rights of women who “are dying every day” from unsafe abortions.
She averred that abortion “has been criminalised in most African countries, not desirable and at the same time a taboo as a lot of stigmas are attached to it”, adding that it prevents women from seeking help when needed.
“Many health ministries don’t have the required services even when the law allows it, so this leads to a lot of women undergoing unsafe abortions causing loss of lives and disabilities,” she told the BBC Newsday programme.
Eunice shared an experience when a 14-year-old teenager confined with her, seeking an abortion of her tender pregnancy, disclosing that the teenager died a few days after from a botched abortion, “to my eternal shame,” she said.
“From there on, I decided that I would find out what abortion law in my country says. I found out that she could have been saved because, as a 14-year-old, she had been statutory-raped and the law allowed for safe abortion for cases of rape,” she pledged.
Burkina Faso's military junta announced the prevention of a coup attempt without revealing details. It stated some arrests were made and ongoing searches continued, with officers plotting to destabilize the country. The junta, in power after two coups last year due to insurgent violence, cited the suspension of French magazine Jeune Afrique for publishing untruthful articles about military tensions.
Veteran South African anti-apartheid activist Aziz Pahad passed away at 82. A patriot, he coordinated international efforts for Mandela’s release and served as deputy foreign affairs minister post-apartheid. Pahad documented his political journey in his memoir, Insurgent Diplomat.
The US announced visa restrictions on those undermining Liberia's upcoming elections, aiming to support a fair electoral process. President George Weah is campaigning for a second term amid this new policy.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir is in Moscow for discussions with President Vladimir Putin about bilateral relations, regional issues, and the lifting of sanctions and arms embargoes imposed on South Sudan.
Ghanaian Dr. Eunice Brookman-Amissah was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for advocating reproductive rights and safe abortion access in Africa. She highlighted the stigma and legal barriers preventing safe abortions, contributing to women's deaths and disabilities.
