Burkina Faso Foils ‘Major Plot’ to Overthrow Junta Leader
According to reports from the BBC, Burkina Faso’s military government has announced that it has foiled a "major plot" to overthrow junta leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré, with the army alleging that the plotters were based in neighbouring Ivory Coast.
In a statement broadcast on state television, Security Minister Mahamadou Sana revealed that the coup attempt was led by current and former soldiers working in conjunction with "terrorist leaders". The intention was to attack the presidential palace last week, Sana added. The aim of the plan was to "sow total chaos, and place the country under the supervision of an international organisation", as reported by the BBC.
This latest claim of an attempt to remove the junta leader comes amid increasing militant attacks in the region. Burkina Faso, like its Sahel neighbours, has been battling armed jihadist groups, with an estimated 40% of the country under their control. Despite promises by Capt Traoré’s military government to improve security and even seeking new security partnerships with Russia, the situation remains dire with frequent attacks from insurgents.
The BBC reports that in this latest coup attempt, which occurred last week but details of which have only just been released, Sana said the plotters attempted to use Burkinabe religious and traditional leaders to sway army officers into backing the plan. "The manoeuvre was to culminate, according to the terrorist plotters’ plan, on Wednesday 16 April, 2025 in an assault on the presidency of (Burkina) Faso by a group of soldiers recruited by the nation’s enemies," he said. Sana also revealed that "the brains outside the country are all located in Ivory Coast," naming in particular two former army officers, believed to be behind the plot.
The Ivorian authorities have not yet commented on claims that it hosted the plotters, but the Burkinabe junta has often blamed its southern neighbour for supporting its opponents in exile. The BBC notes that last week, several military personnel, including two officers, were arrested for planning to "destabilise" the government, according to security sources.
This latest claim comes months after Ouagadougou said it thwarted another "destabilisation" plot against the junta last November. Burkina Faso, along with two other military-led states – Mali and Niger, has broken away from the regional West African bloc, Ecowas, to form a new alliance. They have cut ties with former colonial power France and allied with Russia instead. As the BBC reports, the situation in Burkina Faso remains volatile, with the military government struggling to maintain stability in the face of ongoing militant attacks.
Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring.
The situation in Burkina Faso is being closely watched by regional and international observers, with concerns about the country’s stability and security growing. The BBC will continue to provide updates on this developing story as more information becomes available.
In related news, the region has been experiencing a surge in militant attacks, with many countries struggling to maintain stability. The BBC will continue to provide in-depth coverage of this story and others like it.
For more information on this story and for ongoing updates, visit the BBC website.
