Al-Madina News: After the military coup’s leader Major Ibrahim Traore claimed that Paul Henri Sandaugo Damiba had sought refuge in a French base and was preparing a counterattack, the French Foreign Ministry denied any knowledge of the situation in Burkina Faso and any link to the reports.
The French Foreign Ministry stated, “We formally reject any connection to France with the events taking place in Burkina Faso since yesterday.”
A day after President Damiba was overthrown in Burkina Faso’s second coup of this year, gunfire broke out in the nation’s capital on Saturday.
According to Reuters, gunshots also took place during demonstrations close to the French embassy in the nation’s capital.
The country’s new leader, Major Ibrahim Traore, who was chosen by the same army officers who assisted Damiba grab control in a January 24 coup, remained silent amid allegations of tensions within the army.
Shooting was reported in numerous areas of the city as a consequence of conflicts between forces loyal to Damiba and those supporting Traore, according to a foreign security source in Ouagadougou.
While Damiba’s whereabouts are still unclear, a source in the Burkina Faso army revealed that there are forces still loyal to Damiba in the army pressing the coup leaders to go. The source declined to comment directly on what is happening in the capital.
After a day that included shootings close to an army camp and an explosion close to the presidential palace, official television coverage was halted on Friday when Traore made an appearance.
Traore, who was surrounded by soldiers, declared the end of the administration and the closing of the border, blaming Damiba’s failure to deal with the Islamists for his removal. The same reason led to Damiba’s ouster of former President Rosh Kabore.
Early on Saturday morning, relative calm restored to Ouagadougou, but the afternoon’s gunshots and the appearance of a convoy of highly armed special forces forced businesses to close and sent several residents running for protection.
The French embassy issued a statement saying, “It is advised to minimise your movements as the situation in Ouagadougou remains difficult.”
Later, it made a different statement in which it “strongly denied” the information circulated on social media regarding the French army’s role in the incident.
Along with a number of other international organisations, the United States, the European Union, and the African Union denounced this alteration in the balance of power.
The Burkina Faso government was overthrown by military force, according to the US State Department.
The African Union demanded the restoration of constitutional order by July 2024 in a statement, saying that its president “calls on the army to immediately and fully stop from any acts of violence or threats to the civilian population, civil liberties, and human rights.”
The return of unlawful coups, whether in Burkina Faso or other nations on the continent, deeply concerned African Union President Moussa Faki.
The European Union, for its part, urged the new authorities to respect prior accords and cautioned that the coup was endangering efforts to restore constitutional order by July 1, 2024.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell issued a statement saying, “The European Union also laments the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the nation.”
From Reuters.
The leader of the coup in Burkina Faso: Paris has been suspended and the overthrown president has sought sanctuary in a French military base
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