What’s Happening in Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso has suffered outbreaks of unrest and armed violence since 2014, when longtime President Blaise Compaoré was driven from power. Compaoré took power in 1987 when revolutionary leader, Thomas Sankara, was ousted and killed.

On 24 January 2022, Burkina Faso’s army announced on national television that it had ousted the country’s president, Roch Kaboré, in a coup. The army has also suspended the constitution, dissolved the government and the national assembly, and closed the country’s borders. As of the morning of 24 January, according to Reuters, the whereabouts of Kaboré were unknown but locals reported seeing bullet holes on a car that belonged to the presidency.

Led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, on 24 January, the coup plotters said it has detained several government officials including Kaboré. The location of these officials...

 

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