Burkina Faso military says it foiled ‘main’ coup plot

Burkina Faso’s army authorities has stated it foiled a “main plot” to overthrow junta chief Capt Ibrahim Traoré, with the military alleging the plotters have been primarily based in neighbouring Ivory Coast.

Safety Minister Mahamadou Sana stated the coup try was led by present and former troopers working with “terrorist leaders”. The intention was to assault the presidential palace final week, he added.

The purpose of the plan was to “sow complete chaos, and place the nation below the supervision of a world organisation”, Sana stated on state tv on Monday.

It’s the newest of a number of claims of makes an attempt to take away the junta chief who seized energy in 2022 amid growing militant assaults.

Burkina Faso, like its Sahel neighbours, has been battling armed jihadist teams, with an estimated 40% of the nation below their management.

Regardless of guarantees by Capt Traoré’s army authorities to enhance safety and even in search of new safety partnerships with Russia, the state of affairs stays dire with frequent assaults from insurgents.

On this newest coup try, which occurred final week however particulars of which have solely simply been launched, Sana stated the plotters tried to make use of Burkinabe spiritual and conventional leaders to sway military officers into backing the plan.

“The manoeuvre was to culminate, in line with the terrorist plotters’ plan, on Wednesday 16 April, 2025 in an assault on the presidency of (Burkina) Faso by a bunch of troopers recruited by the nation’s enemies,” he stated.

“The brains outdoors the nation are all situated in Ivory Coast,” he added, naming particularly two former military officers, believed to be behind the plot.

He stated “delicate info was handed on to “terrorists” to extend assaults on the army and civilians and “incite a revolt towards the authorities”.

Final week, a number of army personnel, together with two officers, have been arrested for planning to “destabilise” the federal government, safety sources informed the AFP information company.

The Ivorian authorities haven’t but commented on claims it hosted the plotters however the Burkinabe junta has typically blamed its southern neighbour of supporting its opponents in exile.

The most recent declare comes months after Ouagadougou stated it thwarted one other “destabilisation” plot towards the junta final November.

Burkina Faso, together with two different military-led states – Mali and Niger, has damaged away from the regional West African bloc, Ecowas, to kind a brand new alliance.

They’ve reduce ties with former colonial energy France and allied with Russia as an alternative.

Further reporting by BBC Monitoring