Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – Authorities in Burkina Faso have announced the foiling of an attempted coup allegedly aimed at assassinating President Ibrahim Traoré and toppling the country’s military-led government.
The thwarted plot reportedly involved the president’s Chief of Staff and a network of both local and foreign collaborators.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Security, the arrested official—whose identity remains undisclosed—confessed to accepting a bribe of 25 billion CFA francs (approximately $41 million USD) and facilitating the delivery of weapons through neighboring Côte d’Ivoire. The government claims the arms shipment was coordinated with the involvement of French operatives.
Security sources say the plan was uncovered following a military-led internal investigation, which unearthed evidence of external support allegedly tied to France, Burkina Faso’s former colonial power. The allegations also implicate Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara’s political network in aiding the logistical aspects of the plot. Neither the French nor the Ivorian governments have commented on the accusations as of press time.
“This is a grave betrayal of national sovereignty,” the Ministry stated, reaffirming support for President Traoré and denouncing foreign interference. “The Burkinabé people remain united behind the president’s leadership in the fight against insecurity and external manipulation.”
In response, security has been ramped up across Ouagadougou, with additional checkpoints and troop deployments at strategic sites. The government confirmed that at least nine suspects, including foreign nationals, have been arrested so far.
President Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup, has since reoriented Burkina Faso’s foreign alliances, moving away from France and aligning more closely with Russia and fellow military-led states Mali and Niger through the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Analysts say this shift has increased friction in the region and may have triggered retaliatory measures by foreign interests intent on preserving influence in the resource-rich nation.
While the Burkinabé government remains firm on its stance, independent verification of the alleged foreign funding and arms trafficking has yet to be confirmed.
Burkina Faso continues to battle jihadist insurgencies across vast parts of its territory, with extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS undermining national security. Traoré’s administration has launched aggressive counter-insurgency operations and national mobilization efforts, earning both public praise and criticism over the lack of democratic processes.
