Burkina Faso has declared a new military takeover after a day of shootings and chaos in the capital Ouagadougou. The country’s land and air borders were closed and the constitution suspended.
In an announcement on state television late Friday, Burkina Faso’s military officials announced the dissolution of the current government and the dismissal of the military government’s leader, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba.
Army captain Ibrahim Traoré will take the reins as president of the country’s ruling military junta, the Patriotic Movement for Protection and Recovery (MPSR), which seized power earlier this year, said military official Kiswendsida Farouk Azaria Sorgho. said.
With the constitution and government suspended, this is the second military takeover in a year for Burkina Faso.
Accompanied by more than a dozen military personnel, Sorgo read a communiqué from Traore announcing the change. He also accused Damiva of “betraying” his military’s purpose of restoring security to the country.
“The people of Burkina Faso, facing a deteriorating security situation, have made several attempts to refocus the transition on security issues,” Sorgo said.
“Colonel Damiba’s dangerous choices have further weakened our security apparatus,” he said.
Efforts so far to quell the riots appear to have been in vain.In the early hours of Friday, after residents of the capital Ouagadougou I woke up with gunshotsthe then-leader of the military junta described the situation as a result of “mood swings” among some military members, and said negotiations were ongoing.
“The enemies attacking our country only want to create divisions among the Burkinans in order to achieve destabilization,” Damiba said. Said In a Facebook statement at the time.
Heavy gunfire was heard from the main military camp and some residential areas in Ouagadougou, though there was normal activity on the streets on Friday. Several armed soldiers were seen stationed along the main thoroughfare leading to the presidential palace, blocking access to administrative buildings and state television.
Damiva later came to power January 24 military coup ousted former President Roch Cabore and dissolved the government.
He vowed to restore security after years of violence by Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. persistent attack And the army is in turmoil.
This week, unidentified assailants attacked a 150-vehicle convoy carrying supplies to a town in northern Burkina Faso, killing 11 soldiers. 50 civilians are missing.
Large areas in the north and east have been out of control since 2018. Millions have fled their homes, fearing further attacks by gunmen who frequent rural areas on motorcycles. Thousands died in the attacks.
The West African country, one of the world’s poorest, became the epicenter of violence that began in neighboring Mali in 2012 but has since spread to the arid expanses of the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert. I’m here.