The military junta in Burkina Faso said on Wednesday (September 28, 2023) that security and intelligence agencies had prevented a coup attempt the day before, but it did not elaborate on what had taken place.
In a statement, the government said that officers and others had planned to undermine the nation with “the dark intention of attacking the institutions of the Republic and plunging our country into chaos.”
Although it did not name anyone, it did state that some arrests had been made and searches were still being conducted for others. Investigations will help identify the plot’s organizers, the statement continued.
Four persons had been captured, according to the military prosecutor, and two more were on the run. According to a statement, a probe was started on Wednesday as a result of “credible allegations about a plot against state security implicating officers.”
The junta on Monday suspended French news magazine Jeune Afrique for publishing “untruthful” articles that reported tension and discontent within Burkina Faso’s armed forces.
The junta barred the French daily publication Jeune Afrique on Monday for publishing “untruthful” articles about turmoil and discontent in the armed forces of Burkina Faso.
The next day thousands of pro-junta demonstrators took to the streets of the capital Ouagadougou and elsewhere to show their support, citing rumours of a brewing mutiny against the authorities.
The junta came to power after two military coups last year, triggered in part by a worsening insurgency by armed groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that has destabilised Burkina Faso and its neighbours in West Africa’s Sahel region.
