The military reportedly arrested the President of Burkina Faso Cabore
Written byTimes Magazine
According to reports, the President of Burkina Faso, Roh Cabore, has been captured by rebel soldiers. Some soldiers in the West African nation have called for the sacking of military leaders and more resources to fight Islamic extremists.
At night, gunfire rang out near the presidential palace and in barracks in Ouagadougou's capital. The government on Sunday rejected accusations of a military coup or the president's arrest. Foreign media reported that President Cabore was detained in a military camp by rebel soldiers.
A video from the capital shows armored vehicles allegedly used by the presidency, riddled with bullet holes, and abandoned on the road.
The Simon Gongo from Ouagadougou says the city is calm again. However, the army surrounded the state television headquarters, and there was no live broadcast on Monday. The president's whereabouts are unknown, but AFP quoted a security source saying he and other government ministers were in the Sangule Lamizana barracks in the capital.
There has been no announcement from President Cabore himself since Sunday night when he took to social media to congratulate the national football team on their victory in the Africa Cup of Nations clash. Against the backdrop of Internet disruption, the situation in the capital is clear without any explanation from the military or government.
Burkina Faso, a former French colony, has suffered from chronic instability since independence in 1960, including several coups. Revolutionary military officer Thomas Sankara chose the country's name, which means "land of the honest", who took power in 1983. He was overthrown and killed in 1987.
Since 2015, the country has been battling an Islamist insurgency that has spread from neighboring Mali. This angered the army and damaged the once important tourism industry.
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