Burkina Faso has launched a drive to recruit 50,000 civilian defense volunteers. Among them, volunteers for the defense of the homeland. The men and women are on a mission to protect, the people and property of their localities of origin alongside the defense and security forces.
Jihadi violence has killed thousands of people since 2015. The last elected president was deposed after he faced a wave of anger over the insurgency. According to professor Zakaria Soré, the army is adjusting tactics to swell its ranks.
Burkina Faso has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency which has continually extended its deadly grip, called for civilian backup in October.
Enlistment officially ended on November 18 and more than 30,000 people registered aged 18 to 77 according to government data.
The volunteers will receive 14 days of civic and military training before being armed and provided with means of communication.
