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Burkina Faso self-defense groups challenge gov't

Xinhua, June 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Burkina Faso's self-defense militia groups "Koglweogo" on Wednesday rejected the government's measures to restore the state's authority.

After their assembly held at Kombissiri, a city 40 km south of the capital, hundreds of self-defense group members reaffirmed their intention to defy government orders.

Earlier, the Burkina Ministry of Security warned the militias to abide by regulations regarding firearms possession. The government has prohibited the conspicuous carrying of firearms and knives and the groups' carrying out of corporal punishment and forced donations.

Koglweogo committees were created by rural populations to tackle rising crime, and to cover for the shortage of security forces in some of those regions.

However, the brutality of the militias methods has raised concerns among a section of the society and human rights defenders. Endi