(Adnkronos) – A coup has been thwarted in Burkina Faso, which involved the killing of President and military leader Ibrahim Traoré. This was denounced by Burkina Faso’s Minister of National Security, Mahamadou Sana, according to whom the plan had been organized by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, the military officer deposed by Traoré in September 2022. “Our secret services intercepted this operation in the last few hours. They had planned to assassinate the head of state and then target other key institutions, including civilian personalities,” Sana stated, claiming that the plot had been financed by neighboring Ivory Coast. At the moment, there have been no comments from either Colonel Damiba or Ivory Coast.
The BBC recalls that since taking power, Traoré has faced two coup attempts and must contend with growing jihadist violence that has forced millions of people to abandon their homes. The 37-year-old military leader, however, continues to maintain strong popular support, also due to his pan-Africanist vision and his criticisms of Western influence.
