Supporters of Burkina Faso’s junta gather to mark coup anniversary

In the capital city of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, hundreds of individuals congregated on Friday to demonstrate their backing for the ruling junta, marking the one-year anniversary since its coup took place.

Supporters assembled at the Place de la Nation, waving the flags of Burkina Faso. A number of them displayed placards featuring images of the nation’s youthful military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore.

Traore assumed control on September 30th of the previous year, displacing the leader of a different coup who had taken power just eight months prior.

The uprisings were embraced by numerous citizens who had grown weary of escalating insecurity and had become disenchanted with their government. However, these actions were criticized by Western nations, as they view their influence diminishing amidst the decline of democracy in West Africa’s Sahel region.

Burkina Faso, akin to its neighboring countries Mali and Niger, grapples with an Islamist insurgency that has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of millions of people throughout the region. As of 2020, all three nations are under the governance of military officials who assumed power through force.

“We salute Captain Ibrahim Traore, the President of Burkina Faso, for his efforts to bring sovereignty back to the country. We are with him with all our heart day and night,” said Sadia Ouangraoua, who took part in the event.

The gathering occurred shortly after Burkina Faso’s junta reported the prevention of a coup attempt against their rule. Investigations are currently ongoing to ascertain the identities of those responsible for the thwarted plot.

Traore, aged 35, has garnered popularity due to his pan-Africanist and anti-French rhetoric. As tensions escalated between Burkina Faso and its former colonial power, he expelled French troops and imposed restrictions on French media outlets.

Scroll to Top