Russia is withdrawing 100 of its paramilitary officers from Burkina Faso to help in the war in Ukraine, leaving the West African nation vulnerable to Islamist insurgents. The officers, part of the Bear Brigade, were deployed to Burkina Faso in May to support the country’s military junta but are now returning home to defend Russia against Ukraine’s recent offensive in the Kursk region.
The sudden departure of the Bear Brigade has raised concerns about the security situation in Burkina Faso, which has been plagued by jihadist attacks since 2015. The country has seen more than two million people displaced in what aid groups have called the world’s “most neglected” crisis.
The junta under interim President Capt Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power in a coup in September 2022, has promised to end the attacks but has struggled to do so, even after seeking new security partnerships with Russia. With nearly half the country outside government control, jihadist groups have been targeting civilians and military units.
The recent attack in the northern town of Barsalogho, where up to 300 people were killed by an al-Qaeda-linked armed group, has highlighted the growing threat posed by Islamist insurgents in Burkina Faso. The victims were reportedly civilians helping to dig trenches to protect the town against jihadist attacks.
The Bear Brigade, responsible for guarding senior Burkinabè officials, including Capt Traoré, arrived in Burkina Faso amid heightened tensions in the country. Videos circulating on social media showed the Burkinabè military leader being guarded by men in uniforms featuring Russian flags.
The partial withdrawal of the Bear Brigade has left the Burkina Faso junta scrambling to find alternative sources of military support. The country, like its neighbors Mali and Niger, is battling various Islamist groups in the Sahel region, south of the Sahara Desert.
Despite massive recruitment efforts by the paramilitary Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland, armed groups have continued to carry out attacks in Burkina Faso. The country’s decision to cut ties with former colonial power France and align with Russia has not provided the expected security benefits, as evidenced by the recent withdrawal of Russian paramilitary officers.
