Thread by @OlivierGuitta

#Russia-n mercenaries are now showing up everywhere in #Africa: one country in particular is the #CAR where Russians are also providing weapons. Also present in the #Niger Delta of #Nigeria actually helping the rebels that target the western oil companies. bit.ly/2KkU0OD

Fascinating story on how #Russia entered the #CAR. It was blocking a delivery of weapons from #France to #Bangui so #Macron told CAR President to go and convince Russia to unblock the sale. Instead Russia saw an opportunity to sell its own weapons to CAR. bit.ly/2rj8kyH

3 #Russian journalists killed in #CAR while filming #Wagner, the private military firm run by Evgeny #Prigozhin used especially in #Syria, part of #Putin's inner circle. Documentary was part of @tzurrealism, supported by Mikhail #Khodorkovsky.

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With #Russia moving in quickly in #Africa, #China is feeling the competition and one place is the #CAR where Russia has established recently a heavy presence. bit.ly/2ni1XtW

Excellent reporting from @clarissaward on the "mysterious" murder in the #CAR of 3 #Russia-n journalists investigating the private army company #Wagner, close to #Putin. cnn.it/2MTOQdv

#Russia extending its influence in the #CAR through a just-signed defense agreement that includes #Africa-n soldiers to be trained in Russian academies. YTD, Russia has sent 5 officers & 170 civilian advisors and provided weapons to the Army. bit.ly/2LgiB6G

Yesterday, #Russia signed a defense agreement both with the #CAR and #BurkinaFaso. For Burkina Faso more focus on the counterterrorism issue. bit.ly/2LgiB6G

A week after a CT agreement signed between #Russia and #BurkinaFaso, a terror attack killed 7 people yesterday in BF. Wonder how involved the #Russians will be already...

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Good @TheAtlantic piece on the #Russia-n mercenary firm Wagner close to #Putin and present in the #CAR. Interesting that it allegedly plans to deploy in #Libya. bit.ly/2PnikkC

At least eight civilians have been killed in twin attacks in eastern #BurkinaFaso, a poor West African country where jihadists have been gaining ground in recent months. yhoo.it/2NjAWFF

3 people hailing from #India, #SouthAfrica and #BurkinaFAso have been kidnapped in northern Burkina Faso, likely by jihadists. lemde.fr/2zpPlHL

Situation is deteriorating steadily in #BurkinaFaso with jihadists taking over the north and now moving towards the East. If jihadists succeed in dominating the east, then possibly other nations like #Ghana and #IvoryCoast could be at risk of a jihadist contagion.

Unsurprising sadly: 6 soldiers were killed & several others seriously injured when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED) in eastern #BurkinaFaso in the latest attack in a country rapidly plunging into chaos. What is #Russia doing to help? bit.ly/2ynuvHB

#French warplanes killed around 10 rebels in northern Burkina Faso following a deadly raid on a gendarmerie. The French intervention came after heavily armed rebels killed a paramilitary gendarme in an attack at Inata, in northern Soum province, overnight Wednesday to Thursday.

After having signed a deal with #Russia on CT issues, #BurkinaFaso has swallowed its pride and ask for ex-colonial power #France to help to face off al-Qaeda jihadists. fxn.ws/2OV5EFg

#France obviously upset that #Russia has gained a large influence in the #CAR recently. “#Africa belongs to Africans and no one else, no more to the Russians than the French,” said French defence minister. Some rebel groups demand all Russian state officials and mercenaries leave

#France vows to give assault rifles and cash to #CAR. Arms sales 'within the strict, respectful, and transparent framework of the United Nations', says French foreign minister. France and #Russia at loggerheads in #Africa now. ind.pn/2RynKKQ

The war of words escalating between #France and #Russia over #Moscow's increasing influence in ex-#French colonies in #Africa, in particular the #CAR and #BurkinaFaso. #France blames Russia for trying in the #CAR "peace" initiatives outside the #African Union framework.

#Russia, that provides the personal security of the #CAR President, is also partially accused of fomenting an anti-#French campaign in the CAR media. Russia is moving very quickly in the CAR and #France views that as an hostile takeover bid that it has to counter.

Diplomatic War between #Russia and #France: #Russia-n Foreign Minister Sergei #Lavrov accused #France of ignoring #UN resolutions and illegitimately holding the Indian Ocean archipelago of #Mayotte.

Competition for the heart and mind of the #CAR leadership going unabated between #France and #Russia. #French Defense Ministry was just in #bangui to deliver weapons and military equipment to the CAR. lemde.fr/2rzfcs9

#France Probes Any #Moscow Role in Yellow-Vest Movement. Social media goads protesters, who include #Kremlin supporters antagonistic to President #Macron. Would not be surprising since tensions between #Russia and France had been escalating. on.wsj.com/2Bj0ES2

Ten gendarmes were killed in an ambush in NW #BurkinaFaso. Would #France or #Russia help the authorities fighting off terrorism? bit.ly/2RnvMcQ

#BurkinaFaso declares state of emergency in provinces hit by jihadist violence. How quickly and steadily has the security situation worsen in that country.

Yet again proof of #Russia's advance in #Africa: Sightings of Russian-speaking mercenaries in #Sudan have raised concerns that the Kremlin is moving to prop up the autocratic regime of President #Bashir. bit.ly/2TDEjWP

A #Russia-n military base may appear in the Central African Republic, the framework agreement envisions such a possibility, but the issue has not been discussed so far, #CAR Defense Minister Marie-Noelle Koyara said bit.ly/2CdboSp

New evidence shows that three #Russia-n journalists killed in the #CAR last year were victims of a well-planned ambush involving a senior police officer with shadowy Russian connections, and they were tracked from the moment they arrived in the country. cnn.it/2CehWjJ

Zimbabwe President says his country may need #Russia-n help in modernizing its army in the future. Russia has signed at least 19 military cooperation deals with governments in sub-#Sahara-n #Africa since 2014 reut.rs/2TRsHQ2

Very distressing news: A #Canadian national has been found dead a day after reports of his kidnapping by suspected jihadists in #BurkinaFaso's volatile north near #Niger's border. Not following the usual #AQIM M.O. that would begin with a demand for ransom bit.ly/2QWtn4T

The PMr of #BurkinaFaso, Paul Kaba Thieba, has resigned from office along with his entire cabinet. His government has faced growing pressure over a rise in the number of kidnappings and jihadist attacks. bbc.in/2CvjqGm

After #Syria, #Libya, the #CAR, #Sudan, the #Russia-n #Wagner security group, close to President #Putin, has been very present in #Venezuela insuring #Maduro's security. reut.rs/2B3RwkF

The #UN has started an investigation into accusations of torture carried out by #Russia-n mercenaries- likely from #Wagner- in the #CAR. Bound to see more of this in the future. bit.ly/2IaFxb2

The field is getting crowded to help #BurkinaFaso with counterterrorism. After #Russia and #France, now the #US Special Forces are training troops in the country to face off the jihadists. How does #Moscow and #Paris feel about this? cnn.it/2IMivHK

#Africa: #Russia is also targeting #Madagascar, focusing on financing several presidential candidates. The importance of minerals in the country is one of the draws but also get a diplomatic ally. The paramilitary shop close to #Putin, #Wagner seems again to be leading the effort

#Russia is seeking to bolster its presence in at least 13 countries across #Africa by building relations with existing rulers, striking military deals, and grooming a new generation of “leaders” & undercover “agents”. Competition for #China, #France, #US. bit.ly/2IBlFuO

Protracted war between #Russia and #France in #Africa, especially in the #CAR and #BurkinaFaso. Moscow is also keen to exploit a long-running territorial dispute in #Comoros. France directly controls one out of four of the Indian Ocean islands, #Mayotte.

In 2018 #Russia #Prigozhin employees flew to #Comoros via #Belarus. Their objective was to test if “political technologies” might be used to inflame the row between #France and the #Comoros government.

There is evidence that #Russia-n controlled media projects mentioned in the documents are now up and running. They include a website, Africa Daily Voice, with its HQ in #Morocco, and a #French-language news service, Afrique Panorama, based in #Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo.

#Russia-n operatives also offer thoughts on global politics. One policy paper, titled “Russian influence in #Africa”, says #Moscow needs to find “reliable partners among #African states” and should establish military bases. #Libya?