Sahel junta alliance opens terror probe into France 24 journalist

BAMAKO, Mali

The alliance of three military administrations in West Africa launched a probe against a journalist working for a French television station for alleged terrorism.

The Specialized Judicial Unit for the fight against Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger opened the investigation against Wassim Nasr, who works for France 24, suspected of being in collusion with terrorists in the Sahel.

Prosecutors in the three nations claim that since a Sept. 17 terror attack in Mali’s capital of Bamako, Nasr has "clearly indicated that he was in contact with the attackers."

At least 150 victims, including trainee paramilitary and police personnel, were killed in the early morning attack on the Faladie Gendarmerie School.

"Terrorists communicated with him in real time (about) the objectives of their attacks, their positions, the different targets aimed at … and the resulting human and material toll," according to a statement by Malian prosecutor Bocar Amadou Toure.

"These acts are criminally analyzed as potentially constituting offenses under criminal law," he said.

France 24 has denounced the probe.

Mali suspended France-based TV5 Monde earlier this month for three months for not taking into account the version of the Malian army in a broadcast regarding the deaths of at least 15 civilians in drone strikes in the northern Tinzaouatene region.

Burkina Faso also suspended the broadcaster for six months on June 18.

Malian authorities permanently suspended broadcasts of France24 television and RFI radio in 2022.

LCI, another French television channel, was suspended in July for two months.

Niger, meanwhile, has returned to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) after leaving the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS, with Defense Minister Badaru Abubakar confirming the return.

The task force was formed by the countries within the Lake Chad Basin to fight terrorism and other transnational crimes.

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are members of the Alliance of Sahel States which was formed last September.

The three nations withdrew from ECOWAS, which had threatened to intervene militarily in Niger following a coup in that country last year.

Since then, the three nations have worked to combat terrorism and integrate in communications and diplomacy and introduced a single passport that allows citizen to travel between their countries.

*Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu contributed to this story.