An attempted coup is believed to have occurred in Burkina Faso following heavy sporadic gunshots near the presidential palace and access to major buildings on Tuesday.
The national assembly, the national broadcaster and the residence of the prime minister were also blocked by military vehicles.
Recall that President Roch Kaboré was overthrown in a coup by the country’s current junta leader Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba, only in January.
Inability of the democratically elected president to stop insurgents attacks led to his ouster. Lt. Col. Damiba now appears to be experiencing a similar fate.
The country’s persistent insecurity was blamed on him by hundreds of protestors who came to the streets of Bobo Dioulasso on Thursday and demanded his resignation.
It was gathered that a heavy military presence is spotted around the city with schools closed and residents in panic.
Authorities in Burkina Faso have been battling to stop insurgents attacks since 2015. In a militant strike on Monday in the northern province of Soum, 11 soldiers were killed and 50 civilians were reported missing.
In the past 18 months, the number of coups on the African continent has significantly increased, with military personnel orchestrating takeovers in Sudan, Guinea, Chad, and Mali.
For the majority of the past two decades, coups in Africa have been on the decline. There had been on average fewer than one successful coup per year in the preceding ten years, as of 2021.
Africa’s most recent power grabs have sparked worries that the continent may be reversing its path toward greater democracy.