OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWA) on Monday denounced an “attempted coup” in Burkina Faso and warned that it held the army responsible for “the physical integrity” of President Roch Marc Christian Kabor, whose fate remains unknown.
In a message published Monday on his Twitter account, Roch Kabor invites “those who have taken up arms to lay them down” and advocates “dialogue and listening”. Reuters could not independently verify whether the Burkinabe president was the author of the message.
“Our Nation is going through difficult times”, is it written in the tweet signed RK. “We must at this very moment safeguard our democratic achievements.”
Roch Kabor has not appeared in public since the shootings that occurred on Sunday in several barracks of the weapon while soldiers asked for more means to fight against the jihadist groups Al Qada and Islamic State. The government then denied a takeover by the army.
Following the mutiny, four sources close to the security services and a West African diplomat told Reuters that the Burkinabe president was being held by mutineer soldiers in a military camp.
However, two other security sources, one of whom is close to Rosh Kabor, said the president had been taken to a safe place for his protection.
Reuters could not independently establish Roch Kabor’s situation.
“EXTREME GRAVITY”
“The Cdao is following with great concern the evolution of the political and security situation in Burkina Faso, characterized since Sunday January 23, 2022 by an attempted coup d’etat”, declared the regional organization in a press release.
“The Cdao condemns this extremely serious act (and) asks the soldiers to return to the barracks”.
The African Union has also condemned an “attempted coup”.
Several armored vehicles of the presidential guard were abandoned on Monday near the residence of the head of state Ouagadougou, riddled with bullets. One of them was smeared with blood. Residents of the neighborhood had reported intense exchanges of fire Sunday evening.
Three armored vehicles and hooded soldiers were stationed in front of the Burkina Radio and Television headquarters.
Government sources could not be reached on Monday. There were rumors of an imminent television appearance by a military officer, but nothing had happened as of 2:30 p.m. GMT.
Referring to a “rather confused situation”, the French Embassy in Ouagadougou recommends in a message to the French community “to avoid non-essential travel during the day and not to travel at night”.
The two Air France flights scheduled for Monday evening between Paris and Ouagadougou have been canceled and French schools will remain closed on Tuesday, added the diplomatic representation.
The French Minister for Foreign Affairs indicated that France was following “with the greatest attention the events in progress”.
CURFEW AND CLOSED SCHOOLS
In recent months, Rosh Kabor has faced a wave of protests against the frequent killings of civilians and soldiers by militants often affiliated with the Islamic State and Al Qada.
In November, an attack by Islamist militants against an Inata gendarmerie post in the north of the country killed 49 security forces and four civilians. It later emerged that the forces stationed there had run out of food and had been forced to slaughter animals in the area for two weeks.
In a sign of the growing frustration and anger of the populations of the Sahel, demonstrators took to the streets of Ouagadougou on Sunday to support the mutineers and set fire to the headquarters of the ruling party.
The government has decreed a curfew from 8:00 p.m. GMT to 05:30 GMT and ordered schools closed for at least two days.
The unrest in Burkina Faso comes after coups over the past 18 months in Guinea, where the military ousted President Alpha Cond last September, and in Mali twice.
The military also took power in Chad last year after President Idriss Dby was killed in fighting.
Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in West Africa despite its activity in gold production.
The Islamist insurgents have extended their influence in recent years in many regions of the country where they impose a rigorous vision of Islamic law. The fight against these armed groups has taken a toll on the country’s meager financial resources.
Roch Kabor had pledged in November to put an end to the “dysfunctions” of the army and had announced that the investigation into the attack on Inata would be followed by disciplinary measures. He had also indicated that he would launch an anti-corruption campaign.
(Report Thiam Ndiaga and Anne Mimault, with David Lewis, written by Bate Felix, Nellie Peyton and Estelle Shirbon, French version Tangi Salan, Laetitia Volga and Blandine Hnault, told by Bertrand Boucey)