Burkina Faso

2022 - 10 - 1

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Image courtesy of "Reuters"

Gunfire and confusion hit Burkina Faso capital day after coup (Reuters)

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.

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Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

In Burkina Faso, a coup within a coup (The Washington Post)

The military leaders said their decision was rooted in the failure of Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba to control escalating violence.

In Ouagadougou, Honorine Ouedraogo woke up early on the morning of the coup to go to church. State Department [said in a statement ](https://www.state.gov/the-situation-in-burkina-faso/)that it is “deeply concerned” by events in Burkina Faso and will be “closely monitoring this fluid situation.” Protesters bashed windows and lit fires outside the French Embassy in Ouagadougou, [according to videos on social media](https://twitter.com/matteomaillard/status/1576278033270702080?s=20&t=PlAqKtR9SZdd-w6zqz_sZA). Last year, Burkina Faso became the epicenter of the growing security crisis in the Sahel, with its death toll from insurgent attacks surpassing that in Mali. Ibrahim Traoré — said in a statement broadcast on local television that Damiba had begun to focus more on politics than on addressing the security issues that drove the January coup. “It was pretty much the same story as in January — except the only difference is that this was a coup-within-a-coup.”

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Image courtesy of "NPR"

Gunfire erupts in Burkina Faso a day after the second coup in nine ... (NPR)

Gunshots rang out in Burkina Faso's capital amid signs of lingering tensions a day after a group of military officers overthrew the man who had seized power ...

"It is time for these reactionary and political military factions to stop leading Burkina Faso adrift." "How can we hope to unite people and the army if the latter is characterized by such serious divisions?" 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. Only two days later, a roadside bomb struck a military convoy in the north, killing at least 35 people. After taking power, Damiba made promises to end the Islamic extremist violence that has forced 2 million people to flee their homes in Burkina Faso. The African Union and the West African region bloc known as ECOWAS sharply criticized the developments.

The Situation in Burkina Faso - United States Department of State (Department of State)

We join our partners at ECOWAS, the African Union, and the European Union in condemning these acts and the ongoing violence, which put in jeopardy the agreed- ...

The United States stands firmly with the people of Burkina Faso in their aspirations for democracy, peace, development, and respect for human rights. The United States is deeply concerned by events in Burkina Faso. The United States is closely monitoring this fluid situation, and we call for restraint by all actors.

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Image courtesy of "UN News"

Burkina Faso: UN chief condemns any attempt to seize power by the ... (UN News)

Allegedly, Capt. Ibrahim Traore appeared on Friday on national television announcing that Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who overthrew the country's ...

Nearly two-quarters of the displaced people are children. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who overthrew the country's democratically elected president in January, had been removed from power “after failing to end the terrorist violence” that has forced 2 million people to flee their homes. Ibrahim Traore appeared on Friday on national television announcing that Lt.

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Image courtesy of "PBS NewsHour"

Protesters attack French Embassy in Burkina Faso's capital after ... (PBS NewsHour)

Angry protesters attacked the French Embassy in Burkina Faso's capital Saturday after supporters of the West African nation's new coup leader accused France ...

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. Jean Baptiste Kabre, reading a statement on behalf of the new junta leadership. “Any attack on our diplomatic facilities is unacceptable.”

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Image courtesy of "BBC News"

Burkina Faso coup: African Union condemns military takeover (BBC News)

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".

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Image courtesy of "ABC News"

Security fears grow after latest Burkina Faso coup (ABC News)

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.

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