A group of soldiers announced on state TV that military leader Paul-Henri Damiba has been removed from office. The apparent mutiny followed a military coup in January that left the West African nation in turmoil.
Source: DW
Burkina Faso army Captain Ibrahim Traore on Friday evening said he has ousted junta leader Paul-Henri Damiba, nine months after a military coup overthrew the country’s president.
Traore went on state television with a group of soldiers and announced that the West African nation’s government and constitution had been dissolved.
The statement came hours after heavy gunfire was heard around the capital, Ouagadougou, sparking fears of a mutiny by members of the military.
Shots and a large blast were also heard earlier Friday around the presidential palace and the headquarters of its military junta.
Hours before, Damiba had accused certain army units of creating a “confused situation.”
A statement on the presidency’s Facebook page added that discussions were ongoing to restore calm. But those appeared to have failed.
Agence France-Presse cited government spokesman Lionel Bilgo as saying that the presence of soldiers on major roads was linked to an “internal crisis in the army.”