Wed Dec 31 05:07:36 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Mali and Burkina Faso Retaliate, Ban U.S. Citizens
Bamako, Mali – December 31, 2025 – In a tit-for-tat move escalating tensions between the U.S. and West African nations, Mali and Burkina Faso have announced a ban on U.S. citizens entering their respective countries. The retaliatory action, confirmed in separate statements released by the Foreign Ministries of both nations on Tuesday, December 30th, comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to expand travel restrictions to include citizens from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and other countries.
The Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that, “In accordance with the principle of reciprocity,” the government would impose the same restrictions on U.S. nationals as those placed on Malian citizens by the United States. Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, echoed this sentiment, citing similar justification for barring American entry.
The U.S. cited persistent attacks by armed groups within Mali and Burkina Faso as contributing factors to the expanded travel ban. Both countries, currently governed by military juntas, have been grappling with containing the spread of these armed groups in the wake of deposing civilian governments. These juntas have since formed a breakaway association from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The situation marks a further deterioration in the already strained relationship between the U.S. and the military governments in the region.
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