The military government of Burkina Faso has announced that it successfully thwarted a significant conspiracy aimed at toppling junta leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré, with allegations that the conspirators were operating from neighboring Ivory Coast.
Security Minister Mahamadou Sana reported that the coup attempt involved both current and former military personnel collaborating with ‘terrorist leaders.’
Their objective was to launch an assault on the presidential palace last week, according to his statements.
Sana further explained that the plot’s goal was to ‘create total chaos and place the nation under the control of an international organization,’ as he disclosed on state television on Monday.
This incident marks the latest in a series of claims regarding efforts to oust the junta leader, who took power in 2022 amid a surge in militant violence.
Burkina Faso, similar to its Sahelian counterparts, has been engaged in a struggle against armed jihadist factions, with approximately 40% of the territory currently under their influence.
Despite Capt Traoré’s military administration pledging to enhance security and pursuing new defense alliances with Russia, the situation remains critical, characterized by frequent insurgent attacks.
In this recent coup attempt, which occurred last week but was only recently revealed, Sana indicated that the conspirators sought to enlist Burkinabe religious and traditional leaders to persuade military officers to support their scheme.
‘The operation was intended to culminate, as per the terrorists’ strategy, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, with an assault on the presidency of Burkina Faso by a contingent of soldiers recruited by the nation’s adversaries,’ he stated.
He also noted that the masterminds behind the plot are all based in Ivory Coast, specifically naming two former military officers believed to be involved.
He stated that sensitive information was transmitted to terrorists to escalate attacks on both military forces and civilians, as well as to provoke a rebellion against the authorities.
Last week, multiple military personnel, including two officers, were detained for allegedly plotting to undermine the government, according to security sources who spoke to the AFP news agency.
The Ivorian government has yet to respond to allegations of hosting the conspirators, although the Burkinabe junta frequently accuses its southern neighbor of aiding its exiled adversaries.
This latest accusation follows a previous claim from Ouagadougou, which asserted that it had successfully prevented another destabilization attempt against the junta last November.
Burkina Faso, along with two other military-led nations—Mali and Niger—has distanced itself from the regional West African bloc, Ecowas, to establish a new coalition.
They have severed ties with their former colonial ruler, France, and have instead formed an alliance with Russia.
