Radicalisation

160 civilians have been killed in a suspected jihadist attack in Solhan, a northern village of Burkina Faso near the country’s borders with Mali and Niger. The attack, which took place on the night of 4-5 June at 2am, is one of the deadliest in the country since jihadist violence began in 2015.

France had already threatened sanctions and the withdrawal of its troops from Mali following the coup which brought to power Colonel Assimi Goïta. The French republic has now gone from threat to action, choosing to suspend "as a precautionary and temporary measure" its bilateral military co-operation with the Sahel country.

Mali's constitutional court on Friday (28 May) named coup leader, Colonel Assimi Goïta, as the country's transitional president. Col Goïta had already declared himself interim president on Wednesday, two days after seizing power in a military coup. The court said this was due to the "vacancy in the presidency".

The G5 Sahel was created in 2014 with the aim of uniting and co-ordinating actions to fight terrorism in the five countries it brings together, namely Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Chad. Since then, the United Nations has worked with the security alliance to co-ordinate economic and social development programs, as well as a unified response in terms of security and the fight against terrorist and criminal groups operating in the region.

More than 30 people are reported killed on Monday (3 May) in an attack by a jihadist-inspired militia in the east of Burkina Faso, in Africa's troubled Sahel Region.