Burkina Faso‘s military chief Captain Ibrahim Traore spoke on a recent coup attempt against his government on Thursday and acknowledged that some army units desired to take control.
After suspicions of a coup attempt against the interim government spread on social media last weekend, there was conjecture.
Demonstrators posing as Traore’s supporters gathered in the city on Sunday night and Monday to voice their opposition to the supposed coup attempt.
Speaking to representatives of civil society and the clergy in the nation’s capital, Ouagadougou, Traore claimed that while he is aware of the offenders, he prefers to engage them in dialogue as opposed to arresting them.
The president requested everyone’s help since, according to the report, certain “forces” are attempting to thwart government initiatives and lower morale.
“The president openly told the participants there was an attempted coup against his government last weekend. He said he knew the perpetrators but preferred not to arrest them in favor of dialogue,” the report said, quoting a participant who attended the meeting.
“The captain asked the participants to be vigilant and to be ready because the path to democratic rule will not be easy.”
According to reports, the president warned those there not to fall for money being sent out to influence select individuals in an effort to topple the government.
Lt. Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who had seized control in a January coup against the elected administration of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, was overthrown by a group of irate troops under the leadership of 34-year-old Traore in September.