Burkina Faso’s intelligence services foiled a coup attempt on Tuesday, say’s the country’s military government.
This is the country’s second coup of 2022 since the interim President Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power last year, which took place amid growing Islamist insurgency.
In a statement released on television on Wednesday evening, the government said some arrests had been made and they were pursuing other suspects. No other specific details were given. The military government said that four officers have been detained.
The military junta has said that democratic elections will take place by July next year.
Since taking power, Capt Traoré has moved to cut links to France, the former colonial power. He ordered French forces based in the country to help tackle the Islamist insurgency to leave, and launched mass recruitment drives to reinforce the security forces.
Earlier this month, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali – three neighbouring countries where the army has seized power in the past year established a defence pact to support each other against any armed rebellion or external aggression.