Ghanaian security forces have arrested and detained seventeen heavily armed Burkinabè soldiers in the Sissala East District of the Upper West Region, near the border with Burkina Faso.
The armed men, found near the border community of Wuru, were said to be carrying firearms and explosive devices. The increase in movements of armed men in the nearby forest area is said to be raising concerns about security and local livelihoods.
Ghana’s authorities detained the group and reportedly released their weapons the following day after diplomatic engagement.
Local communities in the Upper West Region were alarmed by the presence of the armed men, as such sightings previously affected farming and economic activities.
West Africa continues to grapple with military coups, security challenges, and regional deployments: the ECOWAS bloc deployed a standby force to Benin in late 2025 after a coup attempt there.
The attempted coup in Benin, involving armed soldiers and ensuing regional responses, underscores the **volatile security climate in parts of the Sahel and West Africa.
The events in Ghana add to a complex picture of cross-border movements involving military personnel from neighboring countries within the region.
Official details from Ghanaian or Burkinabè governments about the purpose of the Burkinabè soldiers’ presence, their mission, or whether this will escalate into a diplomatic incident have not been fully clarified by major state sources.
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