Burkina freezes assets of more than 100 people over 'financing of terrorism'

Abidjan, Ivory Coast — 

Military-led Burkina Faso has frozen the "assets and resources" of much than 100 people, including ex-president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, and 2 jihadist groups implicit the "financing of terrorism," according to a decree sent to AFP Thursday.

The determination affects 113 individuals and 2 "terrorist organisations" — the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and Islamic State successful the Greater Sahara (ISGS) — according to the document, dated Tuesday and signed by Finance Minister Aboubacar Nacanabo.

Former president Lieutenant-Colonel Damiba, who is presently successful exile successful Togo, was among the individuals cited.

Damiba was ousted aft seizing powerfulness successful a January 2022 coup against elected president Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

Little much than 8 months later, Damiba himself was overthrown by 34-year-old Captain Ibrahim Traore, who present heads the Sahel nation's regime.

Damiba was expelled from the subject astatine the extremity of October on with astir 15 officers, for alleged acts of disclosing "intelligence with a overseas power" and "terrorist groups aimed astatine destabilising Burkina Faso."

The authorities besides froze the assets of the precocious erstwhile Burkinabe peculiar forces commandant Ahmed Kinda, whom the authorities antecedently described arsenic the "head" of "destabilisation operations" allegedly involving expelled officers.

Former quality services second-in-command Commander Sekou Ouedraogo, arsenic good arsenic exiled erstwhile ministers General Djibril Bassole, and Alpha Barry, who founded the property radical Omega Media, were besides named successful the ministerial order.

Dozens of others — each Burkinabe nationals — including immoderate presently serving situation sentences besides had their finances seized implicit accusations of "terrorist transgression conspiracy," "terrorist murders" and "illegal possession of firearms."

Burkina Faso besides banned the 113 individuals from traveling portion their assets and economical resources stay frozen, the curate wrote.

Since 2015, unit attributed to equipped groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State radical has claimed much than 26,000 lives successful Burkina Faso, including much than 13,500 since the September 2022 coup.

More than 2 cardinal radical person besides been forced to fly their homes wrong the country.