The putschists in camouflage uniform announced on television the “end of the mandate” of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, after a mutiny.
The soldiers who launched a coup yesterday in Burkina Faso confirmed today on state television the seizure of power and announced the dissolution of the Government and Parliament.
In two statements read by a spokesman, Captain Sidsoré Kader Ouédraogo, the coup plotters announced that they have ended the power of Burkinabe President Roch Kaboré, who had ruled this West African country since 2015.
In the message, the rebel soldiers also announced the closure of the borders and promised a “return to constitutional order” within a “reasonable” period.
Before the announcement, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, called for the “immediate release” of Kaboré, a message that was also made by the European Union (EU). The African Union condemned the “coup attempt”.
Soldiers rose up at several bases in this African country on Sunday, calling for the departure of the military leadership and for more resources to fight the jihadist groups that have plagued the country since 2015.
Kaboré, who has been in power since 2015 and was re-elected five years later with the promise of making the fight against jihadists a priority, is the target of criticism for the failure of his policy to curb the violence of extremists.
Kaboré detained
The president’s party, the People’s Movement for Progress (MPP), reported that Kaboré was the victim of “a failed assassination attempt” after reports that the president was detained.
The MPP denounced that the country “is heading towards a military coup d’état with every passing hour” and pointed out that the president’s residence was “looted.”
An AFP correspondent found that outside the residence there were bullet-riddled vehicles and traces of blood.
Previously there were conflicting reports about Kaboré’s whereabouts.
A security source told AFP that the president, the head of parliament, Alassane Bala Sakandé, and some members of the cabinet are in the hands of the soldiers.
This information was confirmed by another security source, but a member of the government reported that the president was “exfiltrated” from his home by his guard, before the arrival of armed men who shot at his entourage. (I)
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