Three embattled Russian-backed military governments in Africa’s Sahel region have launched a TV channel to bolster their popularity as they fight rampant Islamist insurgencies. Tafouk TV, which has support from Russia and has been broadcasting out of the Malian capital Bamako since last month, has been serving its viewers with high-octane patriotic celebrations, sterile interviews with officers and officials, and optimistic frontline reportage.
The broadcaster is intended as one pillar of a propaganda network set up and funded by the authoritarian governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to battle western narratives focused on their battlefield setbacks. “There is a war for information under way,” said Salif Sanogo, who runs the new station, accusing western outlets of staging systematic disinformation campaigns. “We are the soldiers of information,” he added.
All three countries expelled the French and turned towards Russian paramilitaries, but their situation has worsened as foes like Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State gain ground. Mali faced a co-ordinated offensive in April, and Niger an attempted coup in late August. Russia’s Africa Corps is present in all three capitals, and Russia Today signed a content-sharing agreement with Tafouk TV.
Tafouk TV broadcasts daily bulletins in French, Bambara, Hausa and Moore, with plans to add English and Fulfulde and open bureaus in Ouagadougou and Niamey. Sanogo insists it is not propaganda, but to inform populations and international audiences.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing