LONDON - Burkina Faso is at the centre of a growing jihadist crisis that is engulfing much of the Sahel, an arid strip south of the Sahara. Last year the conflict claimed more than 4,200 lives in Burkina, according to the London-based Economist.

In just the first three and a half months of this year it has taken about 3,000 more. Neighbouring Niger and, especially, Mali are also being hit by terrorists inspired by a mix of local grievances and links to al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Their progress south means Ouagadougou, the capital, could soon be encircled within a radius of about 125km (see map). In Mali jihadists are once again attacking on the doorstep of the capital, Bamako. … Many analysts think that achieving peace requires not just guns but also bringing basic services to abandoned regions, minimising atrocities that fuel jihadist recruitment, and trying to demobilise some fighters through talks.

Captain Traoré, though, seems to believe in little but men with guns. Several people asked by the previous coup leader to start talks with jihadist groups to persuade some of them to stop shooting have disappeared. Their relatives blame the intelligence services. … Many are too frightened to criticise the junta.

Local journalists are threatened and detained. Some government critics have been arrested and forced to fight on the front. The junta has blocked the broadcast of French radio and television stations and expelled foreign journalists.