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President Nana Akufo-Addo alleged through the US-Africa Leaders Summit that Burkina Faso has employed Russian mercenaries.
Burkina Faso has summoned Ghana’s ambassador to protest allegations that the embattled Sahel nation has employed Russian mercenaries, the overseas ministry says.
The summons on Friday was issued after Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo alleged on Wednesday that Burkina Faso had employed the mercenaries.
“In the present day, Russian mercenaries are on our northern border. Burkina Faso has now entered into an association to go together with Mali in using the Wagner forces there,” Akufo-Addo stated on the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington.
Talking alongside United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Akufo-Addo additionally alleged that Burkina Faso had supplied Wagner a mine as cost.
In an announcement issued after its assembly with Ghana’s ambassador, Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs stated it had “expressed disapproval” concerning the statements made by the Ghanaian president.
“Ghana might have undertaken exchanges with the Burkinabe authorities on the safety difficulty with a purpose to have the best data,” it stated.
Nonetheless, it didn’t verify or deny the allegations. In a separate message to Reuters, a overseas ministry spokesperson stated, with out elaborating: “In any case, Burkina has not referred to as on Wagner.”
Burkina Faso additionally recalled its ambassador from Ghana for a gathering, the spokesperson stated.
Authorities in Ouagadougou haven’t commented publicly on speculations of working with Wagner, a mercenary group that was employed in neighbouring Mali to assist combat armed teams.
In a response on Thursday to Akufo-Addo’s remarks, Wagner didn’t instantly tackle Ghana’s considerations. However the response, attributed to Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, accused Western governments and United Nations forces of finishing up a number of the offences Wagner has been accused of in Africa.
The prospect of Wagner increasing its presence in Africa has troubled Western powers corresponding to France and the US, who say the group exploits mineral sources and commits human rights abuses in nations the place it operates.
Burkina Faso’s authorities spokesman didn’t reply calls and didn’t reply to a message requesting remark.
An official at Ghana’s overseas ministry stated nobody was instantly obtainable for remark.
Burkina Faso is struggling to comprise a number of the identical armed teams current in Mali and, like its neighbour, is dominated by a army authorities that got here to energy on guarantees to enhance safety.
Mali’s determination to make use of Wagner forces final yr alienated it from its regional and Western allies and was one of many the reason why French forces pulled in a foreign country.
Wagner forces have additionally fought in Libya, the Central African Republic and Mozambique.
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