Burkina Faso's military said on Monday it took control of the country by deposing President Roch Cabore, dissolving the government and parliament, suspending the constitution and closing its borders.
The coup was announced on state television by Captain Sidsor Kadar Oudraogo, who said that the military had seized power in the country in response to the "continued deterioration in the security situation" and the "inability of the government to unite the population". Was.
Sitting with him in army garb and a scarlet beret was Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba, a senior military officer who was introduced to the people of Burkina Faso as their new leader.
Damiba was promoted in December by Cabore to commander of the country's third military region, which is responsible for security in the capital, Ouagadougou, according to Reuters. He studied at a military academy in Paris, and most recently in "The West African Army and Terrorism: Uncertain Responses?"
No mention was made in the televised statement about Kabore's whereabouts. The president has not been seen in public since Sunday's fighting around the presidential palace in Ouagadougou.
One of the coup leaders told CNN that Kabore was taken into custody early Monday by soldiers who had taken control of a military base before storming the palace grounds and opening fire near the president's home. The same source said that Kabore signed his resignation and was being kept in a "safe place" in the West African country.
But the exact location of Kabore is unknown; On Monday afternoon, a message was posted from his Twitter account asking those involved in the rebellion to put down their hands.
"Our country is going through a difficult time," the tweet said. “We must, at this precise moment, preserve our democratic achievements. I invite those who have taken up arms to reduce them in the best interest of the nation. It is through dialogue and listening that we must resolve our contradictions. must be resolved."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned about President Cabore's whereabouts and is closely monitoring developments in Burkina Faso, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement on Monday.
Images from Ouagadougou on Monday showed armed vehicles and soldiers standing outside the headquarters of the state broadcaster, Radio Television do Burkina (RTB).
Plans for a military coup have been ongoing since August, hatched in encrypted messaging apps and countless secret meetings outside the capital, one of the coup's leaders told CNN, adding that the troops would be able to deal with jihadist attacks in the country. Angry with the government. And believe me Burkina Faso is better off under military rule right now.
After Monday's announcement, civilians gathered on the streets, honking cars and cheering for the military.
Oumar Jr. Bahoro, who is protesting in Ouagadougou city, said, "People are running from their homes and people are dying everywhere because of terrorism. The situation is not resolved. If the army takes the lead, I think things will be normal." Will be."
The Economic Community for West Africa States (ECOWAS) posted a statement on Facebook on Monday, saying it was "viewing with great concern the political and security situation in Burkina Faso following the coup attempt."
ECOWAS demanded that "soldiers return to the barracks, maintain a republican position and support dialogue with the authorities to resolve the problems," adding that it blamed the military for Cabore's well-being.
On Monday, the French embassy in Burkina Faso posted a message on its website warning its citizens in the country that the situation "remains rather confusing."
"Waiting for clarification, we recommend that you avoid non-essential activities during the day and do not go out at night," the message said.
According to the embassy, two Air France flights scheduled for Monday evening were also cancelled.
'Growing discontent'
According to the UNHCR, Burkina Faso has been decimated by violence linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda, which has killed thousands and displaced 1.5 million. The army has been hit hard; Last month, at least 50 security forces were killed in the Sahel.
Anger has been increasing across the country for weeks. The coup came a day after protests in the capital demanding the president's resignation.
"This coup attempt is coming from nowhere," said researcher Konstantin Gouwi, a Burkina Faso researcher working for the Netherlands-based Clingendael Institute. It is based on growing discontent within the population and security forces over the government's handling of the security crisis. Is." , He said Kabore has supported a military-first approach since he was first elected in 2015 and it has not been successful.
Reuters reported Sunday that gunfire continued from military camps in the West African country, as soldiers sought more support for their fight against Islamist militants.
According to the news agency, the protesters came out to support the rebels on Sunday and ransacked the headquarters of the political party in Kabore.
The government declared a curfew and closed schools for two days until further notice.
The turmoil in Burkina Faso comes after successful military put in place over the past 18 months in its West African neighbors Mali and Guinea, where the military ousted President Alpha Condé last September.
West Africa, which has recently lost its reputation as Africa's "coup belt", remains susceptible to unrest.
The military also took over in Chad last year after the death of President Idris Debbie on the battlefield.
Despite being a producer of gold, Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in West Africa.
Its military has suffered heavy losses at the hands of Islamist militants, who control ownership of the country and force residents of those regions to follow their harsher version of Islamic law, Reuters reports.