Burkina Faso's 'volunteer force' plan goes ahead

Parliament in Burkina Faso has voted in favour of a new civilian volunteer force “to defend the nation” against “terrorist attacks”.

The president still needs to agree to the law, which could happen by the end of the month.

The draft law says that the volunteers would sign a contract with the state for one year, that they would receive medical insurance if injured and that the force would receive financial support from the state.

Local media are also reporting that the volunteers would receive an initial 14-day training.

The measure was first proposed by President Roch Marc Kabore on 7 November after an attack by suspected Islamist militants.

“I call on Burkinabe people from within the country and outside to unite and mobilise regardless of religion, ethnicity, political opinion, in the fight against terrorism,” he said, stressing the need for “a general mobilisation of sons and daughters of the nation”.

Some analysts are concerned with this latest development, but the minister of communication Remi Dandjinou told the BBC in an interview in November, when asked about the risk of arming civilians, that it was “necessary” adding it was comparable to the French resistance when France was occupied by the Germans.