Burkina Faso’s military-led government has on Tuesday, announced that it successfully thwarted what it described as a “major coup plot” targeting junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
Burkina Faso’s Security Minister, Mahamadou Sana, disclosed in a televised address on Monday that both active and retired soldiers, allegedly working in coordination with terrorist groups, had conspired to storm the presidential palace.
The group, reportedly planned to execute the attack last week.
Sana claimed that the objective was to plunge the country into chaos and install a regime under the control of an international organisation. He said the group also attempted to manipulate public sentiment by using religious and traditional leaders to sway military officers into supporting the coup.
“The plotters had set their sights on 16 April for a direct assault on the presidency. They had been recruiting soldiers and passing strategic information to terrorist elements to fuel unrest and incite rebellion”, Sana said.
He further alleged that the masterminds of the plan were operating from Ivory Coast, identifying two former army officers believed to be behind the operation. So far, Ivorian authorities have not responded to the accusations.
The announcement follows last week’s arrest of several military personnel, including two officers, suspected of plotting to destabilize the regime, security sources told AFP.
This is not the first time Traoré’s administration has reported attempted coups.
Recall that Traoré seized power in 2022, amid growing frustration over rampant jihadist violence. Nearly 40% of Burkina Faso remains outside government control due to insurgent activities.
Despite shifting alliances away from France and towards Russia in search of more effective security cooperation, attacks by jihadist groups continue to claim lives regularly.
Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, recently withdrew from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS to form a new coalition of military-led governments, citing shared security challenges and ideological alignment.
The PUNCH
