Donation Amount. Min £2

Burkina Faso’s President Roch Marc Christian Kabore is being held by mutinous soldiers, two of the soldiers said by phone.

They did not say where Mr Kabore is being held, but said he is in a safe place.

Gunshots were heard late Sunday night near the president’s residence and in the early hours of Monday a battle took place at the presidential palace while a helicopter flew overhead. 

The roads of the capital were empty on Sunday night except for checkpoints heavily guarded by mutinous soldiers.

State news station RTB was heavily guarded on Monday morning.

Fighting began on Sunday when soldiers took control of the Lamizana Sangoule military barracks in the capital, Ouagadougou.

Civilians drove into town in a show of support for the rebellion but were broken up by security forces firing tear gas.

The mutiny came a day after a public demonstration calling for Mr Kabore’s resignation, the latest in a series of anti-Kabore protests as anger has mounted over his government’s handling of the Islamic insurgency.

Protesters take to the streets of Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou (Sophie Garcia/PA)
Protesters take to the streets of Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou (Sophie Garcia/PA)

He denied, however, that the president had been detained by the mutineers, even though Mr Kabore’s whereabouts was unknown.

“Well, it’s a few barracks. There are not too many,” Mr Simpore said.

Mr Kabore had been leading Burkina Faso since being elected in 2015 after a popular uprising ousted longtime strongman President Blaise Compaore who was in power for nearly three decades.

Mr Kabore was reelected in November 2020 for another five-year term, however, frustration has been growing at his inability to stem the spread of jihadist violence across the country.

Attacks linked to al Qaida and the so-called Islamic State group are escalating, killing thousands and displacing more than an estimated 1.5 million people.

The military has suffered losses since the extremist violence began in 2016.

In December more than 50 security forces were killed in the Sahel region and nine security forces were killed in the Centre North region in November.

Angry mutinous soldiers told the AP that the government was disconnected from its forces in the field and that their colleagues were dying and they wanted military rule.

The soldiers put a man on the phone who said that they were seeking better working conditions for Burkina Faso’s military amid the escalating fight against Islamic militants.

Among their demands are increased manpower in the battle against extremists and better care for those wounded and the families of the dead. Jersey Evening Post

About IEA Media Ltd

Informer East Africa is a UK based diaspora Newspaper. It is a unique platform connecting East Africans at home and abroad through news dissemination. It is a forum to learn together, grow together and get entertained at the same time.

To advertise events or products, get in touch by info [at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447957636854.
If you have an issue or a story, get in touch with the editor through editor[at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447886544135.

We also accept donations from our supporters. Please click on "donate". Your donations will go along way in supporting the newspaper.

Get in touch

Our Offices

London, UK
+44 7886 544135
editor (@) informereastafrica.com
Slough, UK
+44 7957 636854
info (@) informereastafrica.com

Latest News

Man, wife flee as police uncover truckload of rice seized in a highway robbery

Man, wife flee as po...

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) recovered 129 bags of rice stolen o...

Ethiopian, Somali intel chiefs meet after Ankara-mediated deal

Ethiopian, Somali in...

Ethiopian intelligence chief Redwan Hussien met with his Somali counterpart Abdullahi Mohamed Ali o...

Joint security forces show force to deter criminals

Joint security force...

South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang on Tuesday invited...

Germany supports nutrition and self-reliance for refugees in Uganda

Germany supports nut...

KAMPALA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a contribution of EUR1 million...

For Advertisement

Big Reach

Informer East Africa is one platform for all people. It is a platform where you find so many professionals under one umbrella serving the African communities together.

Very Flexible

We exist to inform you, hear from you and connect you with what is happening around you. We do this professionally and timely as we endeavour to capture all that you should never miss. Informer East Africa is simply news for right now and the future.

Quality News

We only bring to you news that is verified, checked and follows strict journalistic guidelines and standards. We believe in 1. Objective coverage, 2. Impartiality and 3. Fair play.

Banner & Video Ads

A banner & video advertisement from our sponsors will show up every once in a while. It keeps us and our writers coffee replenished.