Brussels risks being accused of complicity in the juntas' rights abuses and the Sahelian military leaders – General Assimi Goïta Captain Ibrahim Traoré and Gen Abdourahamane Tiani – don't want reports of deals with Brussels to undermine their nationalist anti-west stance...

Faye and Senegal's Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko were also welcomed to Sahelian capitals last year yet they could not convince the Malian Nigérien and Burkinabè leaders Assimi Goïta Abdourahamane Tiani and Ibrahim Traoré to drop their plan to quit Ecowas...

It's not even two years since the 34-year-old Captain Ibrahim Traoré overthrew his mentor the previous military leader Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Henri Damiba with whom he had worked to build the Mouvement patriotique pour la sauvegarde et la restauration (MPSR)...

Captain Ibrahim Traoré the military leader in Burkina Faso makes ambitious pronouncements but has presided over the loss of control of about two-thirds of the country...

Captain Ibrahim Traoré's junta in Ouagadougou has revised Burkina Faso's mining code nationalising gold projects and beefing up ties with Russia (AC Vol 64 No 3 West Africa's juntas look east)...

Junta leader Capitain Ibrahim Traoré a fierce loyalist to Russia's President Vladimir Putin brought in Russian forces to counter the insurgents but now faces multiple threats to his rule...

He stressed the importance of dialogue and visited the Malian leader Colonel Assimi Goïta and Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traoré before the bloc's 7 July summit had officially named him as facilitator in the region (Dispatches 9/7/24 The juntas take on the civilian presidents)...

With by far the highest number of casualties in the Sahel region Ibrahim Traoré's regime looks under increasing pressure...

But instead of saving West Africa's oldest airline the junta of Captain Ibrahim Traoré had other plans...