Burkina Faso Arrests Four French Citizens On Spying Claims

Abidjan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Dec, 2023) Four French citizens have been arrested in Burkina Faso on claims they are foreign intelligence agents, a Burkinabe and diplomatic sources in the West African country said Tuesday.

"We are verifying the real work of these four French residents considered agents of the DGSE," the Burkinabe source said, referring to France's foreign intelligence service.

A French diplomatic source told AFP that "four French officials, holders of diplomatic passports and visas, were arrested in Ouagadougou by the Burkinabe police on December 1".

"These four technicians were in Burkina Faso to carry out computer maintenance work for the France embassy," the source added.

"The French government takes note of the ongoing legal proceedings, but rejects accusations that these technicians were sent to Burkina Faso for reasons other than their computer maintenance work," said the diplomatic source.

The source said France demands "their return to France without delay".

A European diplomatic source said the French technicians were "known to their Burkinabe colleagues".

Jeune Afrique magazine first reported on Tuesday that the four had been arrested in the capital of Ouagadougou on spying accusations.

"Everything is being done to secure their release," the French diplomatic source said.

The Burkinabe source, meanwhile, said that neighbouring Togo was "helping us to find a solution".