The junta-led government of Burkina Faso has taken the step of suspending the print and online operations of French news outlet Jeune Afrique in the country. The government has accused the publication of attempting to “discredit” the military, marking another move in a series of actions targeting media outlets and foreign correspondents since the junta took power in a coup in 2022.

Jeune Afrique, founded in 1960 and based in France, operates both a website and a monthly magazine, with correspondents and contributors across Africa and beyond.

The government’s spokesperson and communications minister, Rimtalba Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo, issued a statement stating, “The government in Ouagadougou has suspended all Jeune Afrique distribution media in Burkina Faso until further notice.” This suspension comes in response to what the government labeled as a “new and misleading article” titled ‘Tensions persist in Burkina Faso army,’ published on Monday. The statement also referenced a prior article from the same publication on Thursday, in which Jeune Afrique reported that “Discontent is growing in Burkina Faso barracks.”

According to the government’s statement, these articles contained “deliberate assertions, made without the slightest hint of proof, [which] have no other purpose than to discredit the national armed forces and, by extension, all fighting forces in an unacceptable manner.”

While some individuals in Ouagadougou reported still having access to the Jeune Afrique website, others encountered difficulties in connecting.

The decision to suspend Jeune Afrique’s operations comes almost a year after Captain Ibrahim Traore came to power in a coup, marking the country’s second coup in eight months. This move also follows the suspension of other French media outlets and the expulsion of their correspondents by Burkina Faso authorities.

Burkina Faso has been grappling with recurring jihadist violence since 2015, resulting in significant casualties and displacements. The two coups in 2022 were partly driven by discontent over the government’s inability to address the ongoing jihadist insurgency.

The series of coups in the Sahel region, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, have raised concerns among Western governments and regional organizations. In response to these developments, military rulers in these countries have strengthened ties with Russia, and earlier this month, the juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger signed a mutual defense pact.

France withdrew its troops and ambassador from Burkina Faso earlier this year due to tensions following the coup. In a recent interview, junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore emphasized that Burkina Faso is not “the enemy of the French people” but is critical of the policies of the French government, advocating for a reevaluation of cooperation between the two nations.