Burkina Faso’s ruling military government says it has thwarted a major coup attempt aimed at ousting junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, with officials alleging that the plot was orchestrated from neighboring Ivory Coast.
Speaking on state television Monday, Security Minister Mahamadou Sana revealed that the foiled coup was planned by a group of current and former military officers working in coordination with terrorist leaders. He claimed the conspirators intended to storm the presidential palace last week and throw the country into chaos.
“The goal was to create total disorder and place Burkina Faso under international supervision,” said Sana.
The plan reportedly involved mobilizing religious and traditional leaders to influence key figures within the military to support the takeover. According to Sana, the assault was scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2025, and was to be executed by soldiers recruited by forces “hostile to the nation.”
Authorities allege the masterminds of the coup are based in Ivory Coast, specifically naming two former army officers believed to be central to the operation. The government also accused the plotters of leaking sensitive information to jihadist groups, aiming to escalate attacks on both civilians and the military in an effort to provoke mass unrest.
The announcement comes just days after multiple military personnel, including two officers, were reportedly arrested for their involvement in what officials described as efforts to destabilize the regime. The Ivorian government has yet to respond to the accusations.
This is the latest in a series of alleged coup attempts since Captain Traoré took power in a 2022 military takeover amid worsening security conditions driven by jihadist insurgencies. Over 40% of Burkina Faso’s territory is believed to be outside government control.
Despite pledges by the military leadership to restore order and shift alliances—moving away from France and strengthening ties with Russia—attacks by armed groups remain frequent and deadly.
Last November, the junta claimed to have disrupted another attempt to unseat Traoré. Relations between Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast have remained strained, with the Burkinabe authorities frequently accusing their southern neighbor of harboring exiled opposition figures.
Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, has also withdrawn from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS and formed a new alliance with the other military-led states. The trio has increasingly distanced themselves from Western partners, embracing alternative security arrangements with Russia instead.
