Burkina Faso’s military government reported it has thwarted a serious plot to assassinate President Captain Ibrahim Traoré and destabilise the country.
Security Minister Mahamadou Sana announced that intelligence services uncovered plans involving current and former military personnel allegedly working with armed groups.
The goal, he said, was to attack the presidency and trigger wider chaos.
Sana claimed the plotters operated from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and alleged funding and coordination originated there, pointing fingers at individuals including former junta leader Paul‑Henri Sandaogo Damiba, whom Traoré ousted in 2022.
No confirmation or official response has come from Ivory Coast or Damiba himself.
Traoré came to power on 30 September 2022 after forcing Damiba from power in a coup, citing Damiba’s failure to contain Islamist insurgents.
Since then, Burkina Faso has experienced a string of attempted coups and claims of plots against the government.
This latest announcement follows a pattern of the junta attributing internal security threats to foreign involvement, particularly from neighbouring states, which Traoré’s government accuses of undermining national sovereignty.
Similar alleged coups were reported in 2024 and early 2025, often with the junta blaming external actors and exile‑based opponents.
Analysts and independent observers caution that while the government regularly announces foiled plots, third‑party verification is scarce, and details remain tightly controlled by state media.
The tensions reflect broader political instability and deep security challenges: Burkina Faso is battling jihadist insurgencies across its territory, complicating governance and fueling divisions within the military and political elite.
At this stage, Ivory Coast and Damiba have remained silent, leaving the allegations unverified from outside Burkina Faso. The situation underscores ongoing fractures within its fragile military regime and the broader Sahel security landscape.
By Newshub