President of Burkina Faso Reportedly Detained By Soldiers

Burkina Faso coup

Following reports of shooting near his residence, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore was believed to have been detained.
This comes after a military facility was captured by mutinous soldiers, raising fears of a military coup.

Burkina Faso’s ailing president had been facing mounting public outrage over his government’s failure to stop deadly extremist assaults.

On Monday, news agencies and media sites reported that Burkina Faso’s President Roch Marc Christian Kabore had been detained in the capital, Ouagadougou, by mutinous soldiers.

Soldiers staged mutinies at multiple army barracks the day before, raising concerns of a coup in the conflict-torn country.

Heavy gunfire was also reported near Kabore’s home in the capital, Ouagadougou, later on Sunday.

On Monday morning, several bullet-riddled armoured vehicles from the presidential fleet were observed near the palace. Blood was splattered on one of them.

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Kabore was detained in a military camp, according to two security sources and a West African diplomat who spoke to Reuters. The government, which had denied that a coup was taking place on Sunday, did not respond immediately.

AFP news agency reported the president had been arrested along with other government officials.

Contradictory reports due to earlier uncertainties

Security sources told the AFP news agency that the president was being held at the capital’s Sangoule Lamizana barracks.

Reports from the nation are already difficult to verify due to weak phone connections and a mobile internet outage that began on Sunday.

In another development, a correspondent from the AFP news agency saw hooded troops outside the country’s official television on Monday. It was unclear if they were on the side of the mutineers or loyal to the government and defending the site.

 

Inactions of the administration

The administration of Kabore has been facing increasing demonstrations over its handling of the country’s deadly Islamist conflict. Kabore, who has been in office since 2015, was re-elected in 2020 on the promise of prioritizing the war against jihadists.

However, civilians and troops continue to be slain by militants, some of whom are tied to the “Islamic State” and al-Qaida, Assad and his administration have been accused of inaction. The president has been the focus of regular public rallies calling for his resignation for weeks.

Since the conflict began six years ago, more than 1 million of the country’s 21 million residents have been internally displaced, and more than 6,000 people have been slain.

 

 

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