— As Mutiny Solider Annouces Dissolution of Gov’t and Closer of Boarders
IPNEWS: An army captain in Burkina Faso has announced on national television that he has ousted military leader Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba.
Ibrahim Traore cited Lt Col Damiba’s inability to deal with an Islamist insurgency as the reason.
He also announced that borders were closed indefinitely and all political activities were suspended.
Lt Col Damiba’s junta overthrew an elected government in January, citing a failure to halt Islamist attacks.
But his administration has also not been able to quell the jihadist violence. On Monday, 11 soldiers were killed when they were escorting a convoy of civilian vehicles in the north of the country.
Earlier today, IPNEWS carried an article in which another Military coup attempt appeared to have been underway in Burkina Faso
According to BBC, gunshots have been heard near the presidential palace and access to major buildings, including the national assembly, the national broadcaster, and the residence of the prime minister have been blocked by military vehicles.
It was only in January that the current head of state, Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba, ousted President Roch Kaboré through a coup.
The democratically elected president was deposed for failing to contain violence by Islamist militants. Now Lt Col Damiba seems to be suffering a similar fate.
On Thursday hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the western city of Bobo Dioulasso to demand his resignation, blaming him for the ongoing insecurity in the country.
Eyewitnesses are reporting a heavy military presence around the city.
Schools are closed and residents are staying indoors, waiting for updates on the latest news.
Since 2015, authorities in Burkina Faso have been struggling to contain attacks by insurgent groups.
On Monday, 11 soldiers were killed in a militant attack in the northern Soum province, 50 civilians were reported missing.
Meanwhile, Broadcast has resumed on Burkina Faso national TV after it went blank amid reports of gunfire and soldiers staged at different locations in the capital, Ouagadougou.
A journalist monitoring the coverage says the station is showing a story about cotton farming and no reports of the suspected coup attempt.
The Reuters news agency quotes witnesses as saying that a large blast was heard near Burkina Faso’s presidential palace in the capital, Ouagadougou.
It comes amid previous reports of heavy deployment of soldiers along the main roads leading to the presidency and the headquarters of the military junta.
The country’s leader Col Paul-Henri Damiba is reported to be in the capital.
A journalist in Burkina Faso’s capital reports that the military has blocked a key road near the office of the country’s prime minister and is turning away people from accessing government buildings.
