The military junta that seized power in Burkina Faso last year has announced that it has thwarted a coup attempt by some army and gendarmerie officers who wanted to overthrow the regime and plunge the country into chaos.
In a statement, the junta said that four people had been arrested and two were on the run, and that investigations were underway to unmask the instigators of the plot. The junta said it regretted that some officers had betrayed their oath to defend their homeland and had joined forces with terrorist groups that were trying to enslave the Burkinabe people.
The coup plot was uncovered on September 20, when some gendarmerie officers reportedly held meetings with army officers to promote the coup, which was aimed at toppling the junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The army officers, who had failed to get the support of the soldiers, who had rejected their promises and attempts of manipulation, had resorted to the gendarmerie, a paramilitary force that is responsible for law enforcement and military duties.
They had planned to use a gendarmerie exercise that would simulate firing and detonations, creating the conditions for the success of their plot. However, their plan was thwarted when the authorities refused to allow the exercise, citing security reasons. The gendarmerie officers, who were angry with the decision, tried to fake shooting and detonations when they returned to their barracks, but it was too late. The junta had already been alerted of the plot and had taken measures to foil it.
According to multiple sources, several people involved in the plot were arrested between September 20 and 24. Investigations are currently underway and the arrested people are reported to have already revealed important information about the instigators and the motives of the plot.
The junta has condemned the plot as an attempt to destabilise the country and hinder its march for sovereignty and liberation from the terrorist groups that are trying to enslave it. The junta has also vowed to shed all possible light on the plot and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The junta came to power after two military coups in 2020, triggered by a worsening security situation in Burkina Faso and its neighbours, where armed groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have launched deadly attacks. The junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, took power on September 30, 2022, promising to restore democracy and stability in the country.