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Burkina Faso Update #10. Traore Teeters. [1]

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Date: 2024-06-21  

Rumors abound of a latest coup attempt against interim president Ibrahim Traore following the defeat of the armed forces at a base in the Mansila area. The base was overrun on June 11, resulting in the deaths of 107 soldiers according to the terrorist group JNIM.

The next day around 3pm, shots were heard at the radio station near the presidential palace and photos subsequently showed bullet ridden cars and signs of a projectile arrival. Some military sources claimed there was unrest at the radio station and that a rocket was fired from the presidential palace to put it down. Traore later went on the radio to claim it was a friendly fire incident. However, after that broadcast, he made no public appearances for two days and rumors swelled that he was in hiding or on the run. He later made an appearance on June 14 at a blood donation center.

Russia has reportedly sent 100 Wagner mercenaries from neighboring Mali to bolster Traore’s regime. ISW says Rapid Response Forces were withdrawn to the capitol, giving jihad forces freer reign over the countryside.

An anonymous officer from one of the Alliance of Sahel States countries also claimed the juntas in Mali and Niger—the other two countries in the alliance—offered “direct support” to Traore if needed amid the coup rumors.

ISW also claims

Hundreds of civilian militia auxiliaries across northern and eastern Burkina Faso have reportedly quit since May 2024 due to high casualty rates, rights violations, withholding of salaries, and a lack of equipment.

Meanwhile the government continued its policy of banning western media outlets that report news unfavorable to the government, re-banning TV5 for a further six months following its earlier two week ban at the end of April.

This all happened after Traore extended his regime’s mandate for five more years. They were supposed to be a transitional government that would improve the security situation until elections could be held this July. Those elections are now suspended for 60 months (5 years), leading to accusations of power-grabbing and mismanagement of the conflict. Despite doubling military spending, the security situation is worse. Many blame Traore’s intransigence and refusal to negotiate; his strategy of total victory.

With appeals for international aid coming up short, Burkina Faso has been declared the world’s most neglected crisis for the second year running. Nine out of the ten countries on the list are in Africa.

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