The head of Burkina Faso’s ruling military council, Captain Ibrahim Traore, confirmed on Friday that there is no break in diplomatic relations with France, which would have asked for withdrawal, although it denied sending mercenaries linked to Russia. Wagner Group in the country.

France, a former colonial power, has sent special forces to the capital, Ouagadougou, but growing criticism of France’s presence in the region has prompted France to withdraw its ambassador in Burkina Faso at the behest of the military council. in relation to

In a televised interview with local journalists, Traore confirmed the continuation of diplomatic arrangements and that the news about the breaking of diplomatic relations with France is unfounded and that there is no hatred towards any country in particular, noting that “the French embassy is still standing and there are French representatives.” citizens there, and our embassy as well, so nothing was harmed on the diplomatic front, this is a military presence agreement and as they said, we have our sovereignty and that is what we affirm by denouncing. This agreement not to break diplomatic relations or hate any country in particular.

Traore denied the presence of mercenaries from the Russian Wagner group in Burkina Faso, even as the military council strengthened relations with Moscow. “We hear all over the press that Wagner’s forces are in Ouagadougou. We knew too… So I asked a few people, ‘Is everything okay? Where are they?” In the meantime, we learned that they were staying at a hotel. We were a little surprised to see what the theme was. “That everyone should stay away from us.” “Well, congratulations,” he said sarcastically.

Last month, Paris confirmed that its special forces deployed to support jihadist counterinsurgents would leave Burkina Faso within a month.

Burkina Faso has seen two coups in the past year, sparked by discontent within the military establishment over the government’s failure to contain the jihadist insurgency that has gripped the country since 2015.

Attacks by groups linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have increased in Burkina Faso since 2015. Thousands of people have been killed and at least two million displaced.