By Thiam Ndiaga and Anne Mimault OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) -Burkina Faso army Captain Ibrahim Traore has ousted military leader Paul-Henri Damiba and dissolved the government and suspended the constitution and transitional charter, he said in a statement read on national television Friday evening. Traore said a group of officers had decided to remove Damiba due to […]
World
Burkina Faso army captain announces overthrow of military government
By Thiam Ndiaga and Anne Mimault
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) -Burkina Faso army Captain Ibrahim Traore has ousted military leader Paul-Henri Damiba and dissolved the government and suspended the constitution and transitional charter, he said in a statement read on national television Friday evening.
Traore said a group of officers had decided to remove Damiba due to his inability to deal with a worsening Islamist insurgency. He announced that borders were closed indefinitely and that all political and civil society activities were suspended.
It is the second takeover in eight months for the West African state. Damiba took power in a coup in January that ousted former President Roch Kabore, also due in part to frustration over the worsening insecurity.
(Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Bate Felix)