Burkina Faso’s President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has ruled out any possibility of negotiations with armed terrorist groups, vowing instead to fight “without compromise” until the country is fully secured.
Speaking during a visit to the National Commando Training Center (CNEC) in Pô on Sunday, June 15, Traoré delivered a defiant address to troops of the Centre-South region, commending their frontline successes while warning of the battles still to come.
“You have managed to repel the enemy who sought to establish themselves here,” Traoré told the assembled soldiers.
“But I urge you to maintain your patrols in the forests, to prevent any attempt at return.”
The president’s visit came amid heightened military activity in the region, part of a wider push to reclaim territory from insurgents in the country’s east and north.
Burkina Faso has been locked in a brutal conflict with extremist groups since 2015, with thousands killed and millions displaced.
In a speech that emphasized patriotism and sacrifice, Traoré urged the troops to reflect on the meaning of their mission. “We are not fighting for the sake of combat.
We are fighting because we have been attacked, because they want to take our land away from us. Our duty is to defend our country and pass it on, free and with dignity, to future generations.”
Reiterating his hardline stance against any negotiation with insurgents, he declared: “There is no alternative solution: Burkina Faso will not negotiate with its enemy.
We will fight, and we will triumph.
There will be no negotiation. These lands are ours.
Those who came to attack us will die here.
The president also took the opportunity to address operational discipline, condemning the use of mobile phones during missions.
“You are brave, but certain behaviors cost you lives. Using the phone during operations impairs concentration and puts the entire group in danger,” he cautioned.
“Those who cannot break this habit will be excluded from the ranks and punished. We will not tolerate that because of the unconsciousness of a few, others lose their lives.”
Ending his visit, Traoré called on the forces to embody exemplary conduct and to reinforce their bond with civilians, underlining that “national cohesion is essential for a rapid and lasting victory.”
