Al -jazeera has found an influence campaign – in which a book that is not present – is used to spread anti -free feelings in West and Central Africa.
In September 2020, hundreds of people gathered in a sporting field in Bangui, the Central African capital, to say goodbye to the funeral of Mr. Jean -Claude Sindoli, whose coffin that day was worn on the shoulders of 8 people, some of which wearing sports clothes with FIFA slogans.
Sindul was a school teacher and sports referee at the National Football Association, and after his death, he sent the students to his photos to remember their beloved teacher, as FIFA wrote his name in 2020 to conclude his trip.
The death of Sindoli was the start of the discovery of a propaganda campaign based on the promotion of Russia in the region of West Africa, because his image was used after his death by a false person who writes articles across the media in more than 12 African countries as geopolitical experts.
These are the images and films that were published with the offer of his funeral that helped Al -jazeera reveal the propaganda campaign.
Publish for money
In September 2022, a person by the name of Obin Koteli and defined himself as a journalist working in “Togo Media 24” sent a message via WhatsApp to a newspaper in Burkina Faso, saying “Good evening, sir … I want to know the conditions for the publication of an article on your newspaper.”
The Burkinafsu newspaper quickly responded to the message, claiming that it would examine the article, although it is in accordance with editorial policy, will publish it.
When the newspaper wanted to publish the tin article that he had not signed the name of anyone, she asked Cotley who had sent the article, and he replied that the author of the article entitled “Gregory Cyril Dongbada”.
Shortly after the article was published, Kotili sent a bonus to the newspaper up to 80 US dollars.
Identification of identity
Gregory Cyril Dongbada, whose name has signed in his name, knows himself on social networks as a political and military analyst of the Central African Republic and resides in Paris, and has published at least 75 articles, most of which are linked to the political situation in French Africa.
He is promoted by the writer that he concentrates in his writings on the role of Russia, France and the United Nations, and his articles include titles such as the reasons for anti-free feelings in West Africa, and Paris discomfort of Moscow’s successes in Mali.
During the analysis of articles published in the name of Dongbada, it is clear that it revolves around a point of view, namely that French influence in Africa is harmful to the continent, while the Russian presence is useful.
The island’s investigation unit discovered that Dongbada, who claims to be a political analyst and a military expert, has nothing to do with a university and has no research published in his name in an academic center, and is only on social networks, especially on Facebook and X Platform.
Al -jazeera concluded that the first article to be published on his behalf was in 2021, and that there is no evidence of his existence before this date.
Al -jazeera communicated with the media in which its articles are published in all French countries and discovered that it did not speak directly with any institution.
After examining his personal file, it was found that he put the image of Jean -Claude Sanduli, who died in 2020 in Central Africa, and his body was buried in a sports stadium in Baghi.
The information collected by Al -jazeera has shown that Dongbada is not the only unknown who writes to African media, because more than 15 writers pretend to be names and characteristics, which have published more than 200 articles since 2021.
Most of these writers define themselves as independent journalists, analysts and experts, although they have no functional history, or evidence indicating that they are natural people.
According to descriptive data of the correspondence revealed by the island, this indicates a possible Russian involvement, according to experts.
French retirement and Russian climb
For several decades, France was the real sovereign of more than 12 countries on the African continent, and after a march of economic, military and cultural domination began its role to refuse, while a certain number of leaders of the Center and West Africa opened up in Moscow.
Analyst Mike Amoah said Paris wanted to preserve the principle of “Francavric”, which makes the previous colonies non -independent economically.
A number of analysts believe that the main pillar of the French regime in Africa is the elite network that has been studied in French universities and has bank accounts, articles and numerous privileges in Paris.
Due to the useful relationship between Paris and the African elite only, peoples were accompanied by French influence on the internal policy of the region.
Over the past five years, Africa has experienced 12 strokes, 9 of which have succeeded, most of which were in the old French colonies, and in many cases, it was against the presidents supported by Paris.
During the recent period, new leaders seeking to reduce French influence such as Chad, Senegal and the coast group.
Open campaigns
Al -jazeera has found evidence of those behind the Russian propaganda support campaign in Africa, analyzing WhatsApp messages and original word files containing articles.
As for the flower, each digital file contains descriptive data inside – small scripts of information on the file itself – these data can reveal the time of creation of the file and the language of the device which has been created on it and even advice on the author.
The survey unit noted that written written files and messages are linked to people in Eastern Europe and Russia.
The officials of this campaign left several shortcomings which allowed Al -jazeera to follow and get to know these actions.
Wagner impact campaigns and power
In 2021, a Russian movement film entitled “A Tourist” appeared to tell the story of Russian military personnel in the Central African Republic, funded by the Wagner security group founded by Yevgeni Brigujin, and worked in coordination with the Russian government.
As a private military company, Wagner has become the preferred security apparatus in many African countries, including the Central African Republic, where its main operational base is in the region.
Wagner first came to Central Africa to form the local army, but this was to enter other countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso.
The Russian military and civil presence in West Africa has increased after Wagner has deployed its forces and is currently slowly combined in the Russian Defense Ministry and its name has been changed for the African Legion.
Analysts believe that after the death of the founder of Wagner Yfgene Brigujin in 2023, Russian policy has not changed in West and Central Africa.
Fight for influence
According to analysts, the objectives of Russia in West and Central Africa differ from what France was trying to achieve historically, and the two countries are in competition to persuade the local population of their agendas, because France does not want to lose its influence in Africa and prefers to face the African countries with them instead of Russia.
While Russia is trying to organize campaigns of influence and propaganda in the region, France remains known to well -known media such as France 24 and International Radio of France which promotes France’s policy as favorable to Africa in the fight against terrorism and extremism.
The right to answer
During the preparation of the investigation, the island contacted all the parties to take their opinion, but some of them did not respond, such as the Russian government, Wagner and the person published on behalf of Dongbada.
In his response to al-Jazeera surveys, Kotelle said that he neither her Togo Media 24 newspaper had concluded an agreement and not part of an impact campaign at the request of customers associated with Russia and that he was not aware of the existence of organized propaganda faithful to Russia.
Kotelle also denied that it was a mediator or part of any influence campaign, and said that he helped her colleagues to publish.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Paris was trying to transform its “historic partnership” with Africa, in particular in the fields of security and finance, adding that it had participated in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region at the request of the countries concerned, noting that it reshaped its partnerships in a form which has no military bases.
The ministry said that France was open to monetary reforms linked to West Africa and confirmed that the state media were free and independent.