Burkina Faso

Army officer Captain Ibrahim Traore has overthrown Paul-Henri Damiba, eight months after he took power.

“It is time for these reactionary and political military factions to stop leading Burkina Faso adrift.” In his speech, Damiba defended his January coup as “an issue of survival for our nation”, even if it was “perhaps reprehensible” to the international community. Many in Burkina Faso initially supported the military takeover, frustrated with the previous government’s inability to stem Islamist violence that has killed thousands and displaced at least 2 million. Some demonstrators voiced support for Russian involvement in order to stem the violence, and shouted slogans critical of France, Burkina Faso’s former coloniser. The soldiers promised the international community they would respect their commitments and urged Burkinabes “to go about their business in peace.” “For us, it is already a coup.”

An army captain has announced the removal of the country's military leader Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba.

But his administration has also not been able to quell the jihadist violence. "We have more than what it takes to win this war," the junta chief said when he was sworn in as president in February. The United States said it was "deeply concerned" by events in Burkina Faso and encouraged its citizens to limit movements in the country. Lt Col Damiba said there was a "confused situation" created by "mood swings" among some soldiers as rumours of a coup intensified. Earlier on Friday, Lt Col Damiba urged the population to remain calm after heavy gunfire was heard in parts of the capital. "Faced with the deteriorating situation, we tried several times to get Damiba to refocus the transition on the security question," said the statement signed by Traore.

In a statement carried Friday night, their spokesman declared that Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba was no longer in control of the country.

“It is time for these reactionary and political military factions to stop leading Burkina Faso adrift.” Earlier this week, at least 11 soldiers were killed and 50 civilians went missing after a supply convoy was attacked by gunmen in Gaskinde commune in Soum province in the Sahel. Some demonstrators voiced support for Russian involvement in order to stem the violence, and shouted slogans against France, Burkina Faso’s former colonizer. Earlier this month, he also took on the position of defense minister after dismissing a brigadier general from the post. Mali also saw a second coup nine months after the August 2020 overthrow of its president, when the junta’s leader sidelined his civilian transition counterparts and put himself alone in charge. Gunfire had erupted in the capital, Ouagadougou, early Friday and hours passed without any public appearance by Damiba.

Military officials say they have ousted President Damiba, who took power in a coup earlier this year.

On Monday, a convoy carrying food and basic supplies to the northern town of Djibo, which has been under siege by militants for years, was ambushed. local time, the president's office released a statement on Facebook, part of which said, "In view of the confused situation created as a result of a movement of mood by some elements of the national armed forces this Friday ... Friday, gunfire and a loud explosion were reported in Ouagadougou, in the vicinity of Camp Baba Sy, where Damiba is based. Many military members were wearing face masks and were reluctant to talk, while local police said they had no idea what was happening. They also announced that Burkina Faso's borders had been closed and that a curfew would be in effect from 9 p.m. When Damiba came to power in January, after ousting President Roch Kabore, he had promised to make the country more secure.

The whereabouts of coup leader-turned president Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba was not immediately known but a statement from his government on Facebook ...

“It is time for these reactionary and political military factions to stop leading Burkina Faso adrift.” None of the juntas has committed to a date for new elections, though Damiba said last week that the transition in Burkina Faso would last for almost two more years. In his speech, Damiba defended his January coup as “an issue of survival for our nation,” even if it was ”perhaps reprehensible” to the international community. Many in Burkina Faso initially supported the military takeover, frustrated with the previous government’s inability to stem Islamic extremist violence that has killed thousands and displaced at least 2 million. “For us, it is already a coup.” “This smacks of a coup attempt,” said Eric Humphery-Smith, senior Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

The Economic Community of West African States on Friday condemned the seizure of power by a group of soldiers in Burkina Faso.

[The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.](https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/about-us/trust-principles.html) [read more](/world/africa/heavy-gunfire-heard-burkina-faso-capital-reuters-witnesses-2022-09-30/) OUAGADOUGOU, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The Economic Community of West African States on Friday condemned the seizure of power by a group of soldiers in Burkina Faso.

Burkina Faso army Captain Ibrahim Traore has deposed military leader Paul-Henri Damiba, dissolved the government, and suspended the constitution and ...

“There’s a feeling – when I speak to people who are on the streets of Ouagadougou – of deja vu,” he said. The statement said Damiba had rejected proposals by the officers to reorganise the army and instead continued with the military structure that had led to the fall of the previous government. It is the second takeover in eight months for the West African state.

More gunshots rang out near Burkina Faso's presidential palace on Friday afternoon, shortly after its military leader sought to quell fears of a second coup ...

Much of the country has become ungovernable since 2018. Certain members of the armed forces overcome by "moods swings" had created a "confused situation," he said. Soon after, soldiers and military vehicles took to the deserted streets, cutting off access to administrative buildings. By mid-morning, the city, usually buzzing with motorbikes and cars, was quiet. The militants have killed thousands of people in Burkina Faso in recent years. Schools, businesses and banks were shut.

In this image from video broadcast by RTB state television, coup spokesman Capt. Kiswendsida Farouk Azaria Sorgho reads a statement in a studio in ...

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — As Islamic extremists intensified their attacks in Burkina Faso earlier this year, coup leader Lt. “It is time for these reactionary and political military factions to stop leading Burkina Faso adrift.” Mali also saw a second coup nine months after the August 2020 overthrow of its president, when the junta’s leader sidelined his civilian transition counterparts and put himself alone in charge. Ibrahim Traore is the new military leader of Burkina Faso, a volatile West African country that is battling a mounting Islamic insurgency. Ibrahim Traore, is vowing to overhaul the military so it is better prepared to fight extremists. Members of Burkina Faso's army seized control of state television late Friday, declaring that the country's coup leader-turned-president, Lt.

An army captain has announced the removal of the country's military leader Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba.

France issued a similar warning to its more than 4,000 citizens living in the capital city Ouagadougou. But since Friday evening Lt Col Damiba's whereabouts are unknown. Little is known about Col Traoré, the 34-year-old soldier whose statement effectively declared himself the interim leader of Burkina Faso. The United States said it was "deeply concerned" by events in Burkina Faso and encouraged its citizens to limit movements in the country. A spokesman for the ousted government, Lionel Bilgo, told AFP news agency on Friday that the "crisis" was in essence an army pay dispute, and that Lt Col Damiba was taking part in negotiations. But in Friday's announcement came the promise that the "driving forces of the nation" would in time be brought together to appoint a new civilian or military president and a new "transitional charter".

Concerns are mounting in Burkina Faso that the West African nation's military latest coup will only further set back the fight against Islamic extremists.

“It is time for these reactionary and political military factions to stop leading Burkina Faso adrift.” Mali also saw a second coup nine months after the August 2020 overthrow of its president, when the junta’s leader sidelined his civilian transition counterparts and put himself alone in charge. Ibrahim Traore, is vowing to overhaul the military so it is better prepared to fight extremists. He accused Damiba of following the same failed strategies as former President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, whom Damiba overthrew in a January coup, . “A meeting will be convened to adopt a new transitional constitution charter and to select a new Burkina Faso president be it civilian or military,” the statement continued. The junta said in a statement late Friday that the country would be committing “all fighting forces to refocus on the security issue and the restoration of the integrity of our territory.” But it remains to be seen whether the new leadership can turn around a crisis that has forced 2 million residents to flee their homes.

Residents in Burkina Faso's capital are reporting more gunfire a day after a group of military officers overthrew the country's interim president.

Still, some in Burkina Faso’s military, Damiba was seen as too cozy with former colonizer France, which maintains a military presence in Africa’s Sahel region to help countries fight Islamic extremists. But the group of officers led by Traore said Friday that Damiba had failed and was being removed. But it remains to be seen whether the junta can turn around the crisis. He later told Radio Omega: “We have no intention to bring Damiba to justice. “Any attack on our diplomatic facilities is unacceptable.” Jean Baptiste Kabre, reading a statement on behalf of the new junta leadership.

Gunfire was heard in Burkina Faso's capital on Saturday a day after President Paul-Henri Damiba was declared ousted in the second coup the West African ...

Anti-French demonstrators also gathered and stoned the French Cultural Centre in the Southern town of Bobo-Dioulasso. Some of the special forces were sent ... The French foreign ministry issued a statement saying the base had never hosted Damiba, who seized power in a Jan. Damiba also denied he was at the base, saying the reports were a deliberate manipulation of public opinion. The French foreign ministry said it condemned violence against its embassy. secretary-general denounced the upheaval.

As uncertainty prevailed Saturday, the international community condemned the ouster of Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who overthrew the country's ...

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AU chief joins regional leaders in condemning military leader Damiba's removal in a coup – the second since January.

All political and civil society activities were suspended and a curfew from 9pm to 5am was introduced. He accused Damiba of following the same failed strategies as former President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, whom [suspended](/news/2022/1/31/africa-union-suspends-burkina-faso-after-coup-as-envoys-head-for-talks) Burkina Faso from participation in its activities “until the effective restoration of constitutional order in the country”. [Heavy gunfire, soldiers on the streets in Burkina Faso capital](/news/2022/9/30/heavy-gunfire-heard-in-burkina-faso-capital) [Burkina Faso’s military government struggles to contain violence](/features/2022/7/11/burkina-fasos-military-government-struggles-to-contain-violence) [acts of violence](/news/2022/9/30/heavy-gunfire-heard-in-burkina-faso-capital) or threats to the civilian population, civil liberties, human rights,” the AU said in a statement on Saturday, calling for the restoration of the constitutional order by July next year “at the latest”. The African Union chief Moussa Faki Mahamat has condemned the “unconstitutional change of government” in Burkina Faso after the second coup in less than a year in which