Plagued by jihadist violence, Burkina Faso had a particularly tense day on Sunday. Shots were heard in particular near the residence of the president, in power since 2015 and re-elected in 2020 on the promise to make the fight against jihadists his priority. Like neighboring Mali and Niger, the country is indeed caught in a spiral of violence attributed to armed groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. In nearly seven years, they have killed more than 2,000 people and forced 1.5 million people to flee their homes.
- President Kaboré arrested and detained in barracks
Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was arrested on Monday and was being held in a barracks in Ouagadougou, the day after mutinies in military camps, according to security sources. “President Kaboré, the head of Parliament and ministers are indeed in the hands of soldiers” at the Sangoulé Lamizana barracks in Ouagadougou, said one of these sources, information confirmed by another source from the security services.
- Shooting near the president’s residence
The day before, shots had been heard at the end of the day in the capital Ouagadougou, near the residence of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. A helicopter, with all lights off, had also flown over the Patte d’Oie district where the residence is located, when the shooting took place which, at first heavy, then became more sporadic, according to residents of the district. .
High intensity shots were also heard by residents almost at the same time in the Sangoulé Lamizana and Baba Sy military camps in the Burkinabè capital.
- Mutinies in several barracks
Soldiers mutinied on Sunday in several barracks in Burkina Faso, including those of Sangoulé Lamizana and Baba Sy, to demand the departure of army chiefs and “appropriate means” to fight against jihadists. “We want means adapted to the” anti-jihadist “struggle and substantial staff”, as well as the “replacement” of the highest ranking officers of the national army, indicates in an audio recording sent to AFP a soldier of the Sangoulé Lamizana barracks, on condition of anonymity.
He also wished “better care for the wounded” during the attacks and fighting with the jihadists, as well as “the families of the deceased”. This soldier did not demand the departure of Burkinabe President Roch Christian Kaboré, accused by a large part of the population, exasperated by violence, of being “incapable” of countering jihadist groups.
The Sangoulé Lamizana camp is home to the Armed Forces Prison and Correctional Center (Maca) where General Gilbert Diendéré, close to former President Blaise Compaoré who was overthrown in 2014, who has since lived in Côte d’Ivoire, is detained. General Diendéré was sentenced to 20 years in prison for an attempted coup in 2015 against President Kaboré, and is currently on trial for his alleged role in the assassination of former President Thomas Sankara, a pan-African icon, in 1987.
Mutinies have also taken place at the Ouagadougou air base, as well as in Kaya and Ouahigouya, in northern Burkina where the majority of jihadist attacks are concentrated, according to residents and military sources. The government reacted by acknowledging these shots in several barracks, however denying “a takeover by the army”.
The mutineers’ claims were confirmed by other military sources and discussions took place between representatives of the mutineers and Defense Minister General Barthélémy Simporé, according to a government source. Throughout the day on Sunday, demonstrators supported the mutineers and set up makeshift roadblocks in several avenues in the capital, before being dispersed by the police. Several angry demonstrations have been taking place for several months in several cities in Burkina Faso, often banned and dispersed by riot police.
- France calls on its nationals to “avoid any travel”
France on Monday called on its nationals to avoid any travel to Burkina Faso. “France is following the current events with the greatest attention. We are particularly attentive to the protection of the French community. Foreign Affairs.
The West African states are following, for their part, “with great concern” the evolution of the situation, “characterized” since Sunday “by an attempted coup”, they indicated on Monday in a statement. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) “holds the military responsible for the physical integrity of President (Burkinabe) Roch Marc Christian Kaboré”.
The African Union (AU), for its part, strongly condemned the “coup attempt”, calling on the national army and the security forces to ensure the physical integrity of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and his government.
A curfew was decreed from 8 p.m. Sunday in Burkina Faso and “until further notice”, according to a presidential decree after the mutinies. A decree from President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré indicated that this curfew until Monday 5:30 a.m. would be maintained “until further notice” on “the entire extent of the national territory”. The Ministry of National Education also indicated in a statement that schools would remain closed on Monday and Tuesday throughout the country.