Burkina Faso confirms attempted assault on presidency

Burkina Faso’s Security Minister Mahamadou Sana confirmed late Monday that an attempted assault on the presidency had been uncovered by the country’s intelligence services.

The plot was allegedly orchestrated by a group of soldiers, with the involvement of a Burkina Faso Armed Forces officer, Barry Abdramane, who is accused of leaking sensitive information to terrorist leaders.

In a televised statement, Minister Sana revealed that communications were intercepted between Abdramane and terrorist leaders, detailing positions of Burkinabe forces and their auxiliaries. The leaked information was allegedly intended to intensify attacks against military forces and civilians, aiming to incite a revolt against the government.

Sana explained that the assault plan was part of a larger conspiracy, with the "masterminds" of the plot, including Abdramane, operating from outside Burkina Faso, particularly in the Ivory Coast. “The plot is actively underway from their operations center in Abidjan, with the goal of destabilizing Burkina Faso before June,” Sana stated.

The confirmation of the attempted assault follows the arrest and dismissal of several army officers last week, which had sparked rumors of a military coup. Burkina Faso has been under military rule since January 2022, after a series of coups in the region.

Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, is a member of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a political and security confederation established in September 2023. The alliance has taken steps to reshape its international positioning, including recent withdrawals from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).

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