Africa in focus: Is democracy dying in the Sahel?

Another domino of democracy falls in West Africa: The UN and regional bodies like the AU have all condemned the military takeover in Burkina Faso. ECOWAS has suspended the country from its governing bodies. Army officers there say they detained President Roch Christian Kabore because he was failing to tackle a jihadist insurgency. The military takeover drew popular support with hundreds of people taking to the streets of the capital to cheer on the junta. In his first speech, Burkina Faso’s new military leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba promised the country would return to constitutional order – someday. While people are celebrating a military takeover in Burkina Faso, it’s quite the opposite in Sudan. Three months after the last coup there, many are pushing for a return to civilian rule – even at the cost of their lives. More than 70 protestors have died since the military seized power in October. Once again, pro-democracy protests escalated this week in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum after security forces opened fire. Despite the danger, more and more people are taking to the streets to increase the pressure on the regime. DW correspondent Adrian Kriesch reports from Khartoum.