Why supporters of Burkina Faso’s junta leader are campaigning against a Sky News journalist
Summary
Supporters of Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, have been targeting Sky News journalist Yousra Elbagir with online attacks since she reported on security issues and restrictions on free speech in the country. The harassment included insults, false rumors about her family, and attempts to spread her phone number, following her April 2026 news report and interview with Traoré.Key Facts
- Ibrahim Traoré took power in Burkina Faso through a coup in September 2022.
- Yousra Elbagir interviewed Traoré on April 2, 2026, asking about security problems and limits on freedom of speech.
- She published a report on April 10 that criticized the government’s handling of jihadist attacks and repression of opposition voices.
- After the report, Traoré’s supporters attacked Elbagir online using insults and AI-generated images.
- They spread false claims about Elbagir’s family, accusing her father of being a British spy and her sister an influence agent.
- Pro-Traoré groups circulated what they said was Elbagir’s phone number, trying to harass her via WhatsApp.
- A pro-Traoré online group called the BIR-C claimed to have taken Elbagir’s video down from YouTube, but Sky News said the video was temporarily removed due to a production error and then re-uploaded with corrections.
- Supporters also shared a misleading photo to falsely claim Elbagir cried during the interview, but the image was from a different report in Sudan taken in 2025.
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