France ‘strongly rejects’ any participation of the French army in a supposed counteroffensive strategy by fallen leader Damiba.
Published On 1 Oct 2022
The army officers who took power in Burkina Faso stated fallen military leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was preparing a counteroffensive from a “French base”.
Gunshots sounded out Saturday in the capital Ouagadougou in the middle of indications of remaining stress a day after the officers toppled the guy who took power in a coup just 9 months previously.
“[Damiba] is thought to have actually taken haven in the French base at Kamboinsin in order to prepare a counteroffensive to stir up difficulty in our defence and security forces,” the coup-makers stated in a declaration read out on nationwide tv and signed by Captain Ibrahim Traore, the nation’s brand-new leader.
France, the previous colonial power in Burkina Faso, rejected the claims. An hour prior to the telecasted remarks by the military figures, the French embassy provided a declaration “securely rejecting any participation of the French army in cases of the last couple of hours”.
The embassy likewise rejected “rumours that Burkinabe authorities have actually been hosted or are under the defense of French military”.
In a declaration released on the main Facebook page of the presidency, Damiba prompted his competitors “to come to their senses to prevent a fratricidal war that Burkina Faso does not require”.
Angry protesters assaulted the French embassy in Ouagadougou late Saturday. Video on social networks revealed citizens with lit torches outside the border and other images revealed part of the substance ablaze.
In Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, Bobo-Dioulasso, mad crowds likewise vandalised the French institute.
‘ Seek discussion’
Traore was formerly head of an unique forces system “Cobra” in the northern area of Kaya. Damiba’s location, on the other hand, stay unidentified.
The chief of personnel of Burkina Faso’s army gotten in touch with opposing factions to stop hostilities and continue talks, calling the circumstance “an internal crisis within the National Armed Forces”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the seizure of power and called “on all stars to avoid violence and look for discussion”, his spokesperson stated in a declaration.
” Burkina Faso requires peace, stability and unity to combat terrorist groups and criminal networks running in parts of the nation,” it stated.
Damiba concerned power in a coup in January. He installed himself as leader of the nation of 16 million after implicating chosen President Roch Marc Christian Kabore of stopping working to repel armed groups.
With much of the Sahel area fighting a growing disobedience, the violence has actually triggered a series of coups in Mali, Guinea and Chad because 2020.
France has a military existence in Burkina Faso, with a contingent of unique forces based in Kamboinsin, 30 km (19 miles) from Ouagadougou.
Tense circumstance
The scenario in Ouagadougou was tense on Saturday. Helicopters hovered above the city and stores that had actually opened for service in the early morning shut their doors.
The European Union and the African Union (AU) included their voices to a chorus of worldwide condemnation of the 2nd coup this year in the deeply bad and restive West African nation.
” The chairperson hires the military to right away and absolutely avoid any acts of violence or dangers to the civilian population, civil liberties, human rights,” the AU stated in a declaration.
The junior officers who fell Damiba stated he had actually stopped working to avoid armed group attacks in the nation.
On Friday, pre-dawn shooting appeared around the governmental palace. Within hours, a lots soldiers in tiredness appeared on the state tv and radio broadcaster to reveal Damiba’s elimination.
The brand-new leaders quickly suspended the constitution, sealed the borders, liquified the transitional federal government and legal assembly and set up a 9pm-5am curfew.