Burkina Fano: Govt denies coup rumors amid prevailing uncertainty

Burkina Faso: Defence Minister General Bathelemy Simpore has denied rumors that the military has seized power.  For the past few hours, rumors have been going around that the military has staged a coup.

The rumors about the coup in Burkina Faso were spread after reports came in about gun fire shots heard in several locations.

Burkina Faso government has issued a statement in this regard saying “Information on social media would have people believe there was an army takeover. The government, while recognizing the validity of shootings in some barracks, denies this information and calls on the population to remain calm.”

From the statement, it is very much clear that shooting incidents happened in some military barracks. The true nature of these shootings is still unknown.

Shots were heard at the Baby Sy military camp in the south of the capital Ouagadougou, and at an airbase near the airport. There was also gunfire at barracks in the northern towns of Kaya and Ouahigouya.

While the Burkina Faso government is denying a military coup in the country, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore has not appeared in public or on TV so far. Rumors are still going around that President Kabore has been detained by the military.

Burkina Faso has seen 5 coups in the last 27 years. A week ago, the government claimed to have foiled a coup attempt. Ten soldiers and five civilians were arrested in connection with the coup attempt.

President Kabore has been under public criticism for failing to tackle challenges faced by the country.

On Saturday, government forces fired tear gas at protesters barricading the streets and throwing rocks in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, as people took to the streets against the government’s inability to stop armed attacks spreading across the country. The protesters demanded President Kabore resign.