In its battle against terrorist groups, Burkina Faso can count on Russia’s range of weapons available for acquisition to beef up the Burkinabe armed forces, Transitional President Ibrahim Traore told Sputnik Africa.
Russia does not pose any restrictions on the sale of military equipment, unlike other countries. Moscow is even ready to offer certain weapons for free to beat terrorism in the Sahel, the Burkinabe leader emphasized.
"We are at war against terrorism […] Thank God, Russia is a country that refuses nothing: everything we want to buy, it agrees to sell to us. This is not the case with other countries. Military-technical cooperation is therefore faring very well. There are no restrictions, no license denials, and it's at a good price. Russia is also ready to deliver arms to us free of charge to support us in this war," he noted.
Terrorism in the Sahel
Like several countries in the Sahel Strip, Burkina Faso is fighting terrorist groups, which are particularly rampant in the north and east of the country.
Ouagadougou is fostering military and technical ties with Moscow. A government-to-government agreement between the two countries was signed in 2018, providing for the exchange of know-how and experience in peacekeeping and fighting terrorism.