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French military convoy blocked in Burkina Faso by human barricade of protesters

The US News reported according to Reuters that a convoy of French troops in Burkina Faso was stopped on route to Niger on Friday by a human barricade of protesters opposed to France's involvement in a regional conflict with jihadists.
Anger is rising in the former French colony over the inability of Burkinabe and international forces to prevent rising violence by Islamist militants. State security forces suffered their heaviest loss in years on Sunday when gunmen killed 49 military police officers and four civilians.
Hundreds of people massed on the road to block the French armoured vehicles' path in the city of Kaya, according to a Reuters reporter there. One held a handwritten sign that read: "Kaya says to the French army to go home."
The French vehicles eventually pulled off the road into an area protected by metal fencing, where they remained at the end of the afternoon.

Some of the protesters voiced conspiracy theories common in Burkina Faso and neighbouring countries, alleging that the French work with the militants.
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One protester, Bassirou Ouedraogo, told Reuters, "We asked them to open their vehicles so that we have an idea of the contents," adding, "We know what is inside: suspect items."
Witnesses said, the convoy encountered similar protests in other towns, but had been able to continue until Kaya.
A source at the French embassy in the capital Ouagadougou and a French army source confirmed the situation in Kaya but did not give further details.
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France intervened in neighbouring Mali in 2013 to beat back an Islamist insurgency that had seized the country's desert north and has since kept thousands of troops in the region.
But militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have been able to strengthen their foothold and expand into countries such as Burkina Faso and Niger.
France is currently in the process of roughly halving its previous troop strength in the Sahel to about 2,500-3,000 soldiers as it looks to transfer more responsibility to local armies and a multinational European taskforce.
Source: usnews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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