Burkina Faso: Military officer ousts President Damiba in coup | Political news

Burkina Faso’s military leader Paul-Henry Damiba was ousted in the country’s second coup in a year, and Army Captain Ibrahim Traore took power, dissolving the transitional government and suspending the constitution.

Traore said late Friday that a group of military officers had decided to remove Dameba from his post as he was unable to deal with the country’s worsening armed uprising. The captain was formerly the head of the special forces “Cobra” in the northern region of Kaya.

“We have decided to take our responsibility, driven by a single ideal: to restore the security and integrity of our territory,” the soldiers announced on state television and radio.

This is the West African country’s second acquisition in eight months. Damiba came to power in a coup in January that ousted former President Roque Kabore, in part out of frustration with worsening insecurity.

Burkina Faso has struggled to contain insurgent groups, including some linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).

Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque reported from Dakar, Senegal, that 40 percent of Burkina Faso’s territory is not under state control, and there is growing disillusionment with the country’s security.

Harker said the leaders of the last coup also pledged to deal with armed groups. “When I talk to people on the streets of Ouagadougou, there is a sense of deja vu,” he said.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Friday strongly condemned the coup, saying it took place at an “untimely” time as progress was being made towards restoring constitutional order.

“ECOWAS reiterates its unequivocal opposition to any unconstitutional means of seizing or maintaining power,” the regional group said in a statement. statement Share on social media.

Curfew, border closed

On Friday, Traore announced an indefinite border closure and suspension of all political and civil society activities. A curfew from 9pm to 5am was also announced.

“In the face of the deteriorating situation, we have tried several times to get Dameba to refocus the transition on security,” said the statement signed by Traore and read on television by another officer, next to a group of dressed Soldiers in military uniform and heavy armor. armor.

The statement said Dameba rejected the officer’s proposal to restructure the army, instead continuing to use the military structure that led to the collapse of the previous government.

“Damiba’s actions have gradually led us to believe that his ambitions are deviating from our goals. We have decided to remove Damiba on this day,” the statement said.

It said national stakeholders would soon be invited to pass a new transitional charter and designate a new civilian or military president.

Burkina Faso’s government had said earlier on Friday that an “internal crisis” within the army was the reason for the deployment of troops in key areas of the capital, adding that talks were under way after pre-dawn gunfire.

State television was cut off for several hours, showing only a blank screen with the message “No Video Signal”.

Dameba’s fate remains unknown.

Although the ousted leader pledged to make security his top priority when he took office on January 24, violent attacks have increased since March.

In the north and east, rebel fighters blocked towns, blowing up bridges and attacking supply convoys.

Thousands have died and some 2 million have been displaced by fighting since unrest spread to Burkina Faso in 2015, and Burkina Faso has since become the epicenter of violence across the Sahel.

In September, a particularly bloody month, Damiba fired his defense minister and took office himself.

Much of the Sahel has struggled with growing unrest since 2020, with violence already sparking a series of coups in Mali, Guinea and Chad.

The United Nations has expressed concern and called for calm.

“Burkina Faso needs peace, stability and unity to combat terrorist groups and criminal networks operating in parts of the country,” said UN spokesman Stephen Dujarric.

Attacks have increased since mid-March, despite the junta’s pledge to make security a top priority.

Konstantin Gouvi, a Burkina Faso researcher at the Clingendael Institute, told The Associated Press that Friday night’s events “are a part of the strategy and actions within the ruling MPSR junta and the wider military in response to rising insecurity. decision-making tensions escalated.”

“Members of the MPSR increasingly feel that Dameba is isolating himself and abandoning those who helped him seize power,” Guwi said.



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