Soldiers riot in Burkina Faso to demand more resources to fight jihadists

Soldiers rioted this Sunday in several barracks in Burkina Faso to demand more resources to fight against the jihadists who have hit the African country since 2015, and demonstrators in support of these soldiers set fire to the headquarters of the ruling party in Ouagadougou.

Burkina Faso has been immersed in a spiral of violence since 2015, attributed to armed groups affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS).

Attacks against civilians and the military are becoming more frequent and are largely concentrated in the north and east of the country.

These riots in the barracks of Burkina Faso – which has known several coups d’état – illustrate the fragility of the power of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, accused of impotence in the face of jihadist violence.

The government reacted quickly by acknowledging shots fired at several barracks, but denied “a seizure of power by the army.”

Shortly afterwards, demonstrators supporting the mutinous soldiers set fire to the ground floor of the building of the ruling People’s Movement for Progress (MPP), before being dispersed by police using tear gas.

The military mutiny began “at 1:00 a.m. (local time)” when “shots were heard here in Gounghi from the Sangoulé Lamizana camp,” said a soldier from this neighborhood, located on the western exit of Ouagadougou.

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The information was confirmed by residents, who spoke of “increasingly intense fire.” Shots were also heard later in other military camps or barracks in the capital or the rest of the country.

“Most suitable resources”

The soldiers, who thus expressed their anger this Sunday in various barracks in Burkina Faso, demand “adequate resources” in the fight against jihadist groups, according to an audio recording received by AFP.

“We want adequate resources for the fight” against the jihadists, the “replacement” of the army chiefs and “consequent troops”, says in this recording and under anonymity a soldier from the Sangoulé Lamizana barracks, in Ouagadougou, one in which they heard gunfire for several hours on Sunday.

This military man also called for “the training of personnel adapted to the threat” and the creation of “permanent units” of the army to be “sent to the front.”

At no time did he ask for the departure of the president of Burkina Faso, despite the fact that a large part of the population accuses him of being “incapable” of fighting jihadist groups

President Roch Marc Kaboré’s own government reacted quickly by denying a coup attempt.

“Information circulating on social media tends to suggest an army takeover on Sunday,” government spokesman Alkassoum Maiga said in a statement.

“The government, although it recognizes the existence of the shots in some barracks, denies this information and calls on the population to remain calm,” he added.

These movements in the Burkinabe barracks come a day after new demonstrations of anger by residents fed up with the powerlessness of the authorities to deal with the jihadist violence that has plagued Burkina Faso since 2015.

Protests against insecurity

On Saturday, incidents broke out in Ouagadougou and other cities across the country between security forces and protesters who defied a ban on gatherings to protest insecurity.

On Saturday, at least two soldiers died and several were injured by the explosion of a homemade explosive device on the road between Ouahigouya and Titao (north), when their vehicle was escorting some merchants, according to security and local sources.

On December 23, an ambush by armed groups against a supply convoy made up of civilians and Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP, army auxiliaries) in the You area (north), left 41 dead, including the famous Ladji Yoro, considered the leader of the VDP.

The violence of jihadist groups has left more than 2,000 dead in the last six years and forced 1.5 million people to flee their homes. (I)