Keypoints:
- Ex-soldiers in Cote d’Ivoire blamed
- Plot allegedly linked to terrorists
- Junta says aim was to cause chaos
BURKINA Faso’s military government says it has thwarted a coordinated attempt to topple junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, blaming exiled former soldiers oper
ating from Cote d’Ivoire for masterminding the operation.
Security Minister Mahamadou Sana made the announcement on national television on Monday, describing the foiled attempt as a ‘major plot’ intended to spark chaos and destabilise the country. According to the minister, both active and retired soldiers worked in league with terrorist groups to execute the plan.
‘The aim was to sow total chaos and bring the country under the supervision of an international organisation,’ said Sana. He added that the conspirators plotted to launch an armed assault on the presidential palace in Ouagadougou on 16 April.
The government alleges that the plot was directed from outside Burkina Faso, with Sana identifying Cote d’Ivoire as the base for the ringleaders. Two former Burkinabe army officers are believed to have played leading roles from exile.
Sana also accused the group of attempting to manipulate religious and traditional figures to influence military officers inside the country. ‘The manoeuvre was meant to culminate in an assault on the presidency by soldiers recruited by the nation’s enemies,’ he said.
According to Sana, sensitive military information was leaked to insurgents to intensify attacks on both civilians and armed forces, and to stoke public dissent. Several arrests were made last week, including two army officers, on suspicion of plotting to ‘destabilise’ the state, security sources told AFP.
The BBC reports that the junta has not yet named the alleged masterminds, and Cote d’Ivoire has not issued a public response to the accusations. However, tensions between the two countries have risen in recent months, with Burkina Faso frequently accusing its southern neighbour of harbouring dissidents.
This is the second alleged coup attempt in less than six months, following a similar claim of a foiled plot in November 2024. Captain Traoré came to power in September 2022 after ousting the previous military regime, citing failures to address rising jihadist violence.
Despite pledges to restore order, around 40 percent of Burkina Faso remains outside government control due to the persistent threat from armed Islamist groups. The junta has cut military ties with France and turned instead to Russia, forming a new security and political alliance with fellow military-led states Mali and Niger.
All three countries have exited the West African regional bloc Ecowas a
nd are pursuing joint strategies they claim will deliver better security. Nonetheless, insurgent attacks have continued unabated, raising questions over the effectiveness of the new alliances.
The government says investigations into the latest plot are ongoing, and further arrests are expected.
