Since taking power in a September 2022 coup, the west African country's junta has been accused of silencing its critics by sending dissident voices to the front lines.

Around a dozen of those sent, notably journalists, civil society figures or people close to politicians, have been released from the draft in recent months.

Bassirou Badjo and Rasmane Zinaba, who took part in the demonstrations that ousted ex-strongman Blaise Campaore in 2014, were set free late on Monday, according to their entourages, confirming reports in the Burkinabe press.

"They're both holding up well even if their physical condition has changed a lot," a source close to both activists told AFP.

Another source said they had returned to their families and would undergo medical checks as a precaution.

According to their organisation, the pair were "abducted" by "individuals presenting themselves as agents of the state security forces" in Febuary 2024.

Rights groups have increasingly reported kidnappings of people considered hostile to the junta over the past year.

Like other countries in the Sahel, Burkina Faso has been riven by violence from jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group for more than a decade.