Coup Plot Foiled in Burkina Faso, Exiled Officers Blamed

Burkina Faso’s military authorities say they have prevented a coup attempt targeting Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Security Minister Mahamadou Sana revealed that both active and retired soldiers, allegedly in league with terrorist groups, planned to storm the presidential palace on April 16.

Sana accused the conspirators of seeking to destabilize the country and install a government under international influence. He said, “The maneuver was intended to culminate, as per the terrorists’ design, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, with an attack on the presidency of Burkina Faso by soldiers recruited by the nation’s adversaries.”

The government claims the plot was directed from Ivory Coast by two ex-army officers. Ivorian authorities have not yet commented. Several suspects have been arrested as investigations continue.

Since Captain Traoré’s 2022 takeover, Burkina Faso has faced repeated coup attempts and ongoing jihadist violence. Despite shifting alliances from France to Russia, security remains fragile, with 40% of the country outside government control. The nation recently exited ECOWAS alongside Mali and Niger.