By Staff Writer
16:11:2021

Gunman on Sunday killed over 19 Burkinabe Gendarmerie and one civilian in an attack on an outpost close to the Malian and Nigerian joint border region, the Liptak-Gourma corridor. This followed the killings of 8 Nigerian soldiers in the same area last week on the Nigerian side of the border. No claim of responsibility has been issued; however, attacks in Burkina Faso have seen only limited claimed responsibilities.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Dr Mustafa Mheta, head of the Africa Desk of the Media Review Network, questioned international forces’ presence, mainly since the attack occurred in an area close to French troops, which have been moved out of Timbuktu and Gao and moved toward the corridor.

He argued that as long as the African Union and Africa ‘outsource’ such instances continue, the organisation needs to build up the capacity to deal with such threats. “I think the African Union should look into outsourcing Africa’s security to others from outside. We will never win this war on terror until we learn to take on things by ourselves.”

Concerning South Africa relinquishing its support to the Ms Universe pageant, which is being held in Israel, Dr Mheta argued that this was a responsible and mature move, in line with South African foreign policy. He also lamented how a private institute, such as the Ms South Africa, is trying to oppose the country’s well-defined foreign policy. He praised the country’s principled position in opposition to Israeli apartheid, hoping that others would also emulate such a move.

Last, regarding Ethiopia, Dr Mheta argued that it was a ‘tribe on tribe’ conflict. He argued that the AU needed to do something, expressing hope about former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo’s supposed mediatory role. Dr Mheta also noted that currently, within Ethiopia, the conflict is driven by internal factors, that it is not outside powers and global forces responsible for the current situation.

[LISTEN] to the podcast here