Gunfire heard in Burkina Faso, sparking coup fears

Residents in the capital of Burkina Faso say gunfire rang out early in the morning and the state broadcaster has gone off the air, fueling fears that another coup is underway

UN General Assembly Burkina Faso (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Gunfire rang out early Friday in Burkina Faso's capital and the state broadcaster went off the air, sparking fears that another coup attempt may be underway, nine months after the democratically elected president was ousted from power.

It was not immediately known where coup leader-turned president Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba was in the West African country but a statement from his government on Facebook urged people to remain calm.

“Negotiations are underway to bring back calm and serenity,” said the statement attributed to the presidency spokesman. “The enemy attacking our country only wants division between Burkinabes."

Friday's developments felt all too familiar in West Africa, where a coup in Mali in August 2020 set off a series of military power grabs in the region.

“This smacks of a coup attempt," said Eric Humphery-Smith, senior Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft. “While gunfire around military barracks could be due to some form of mutiny, the closure of the national television station bodes ill.”

Last week, Damiba had traveled to New York where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly. In his speech, Damiba defended his January coup as “an issue of survival for our nation,” even if it was ”perhaps reprehensible" to the international community.

Burkina Faso’s coup came in the wake of similar takeovers in Mali and in Guinea, heightening fears of a rollback of democracy in West Africa. None of the juntas has committed to a date for new elections, though Damiba said last week that the transition in Burkina Faso would last for almost two more years.

Many in Burkina Faso initially supported the military takeover, frustrated with the previous government’s inability to stem Islamic extremist violence that has killed thousands and displaced at least 2 million. Yet the violence has failed to wane in the months since Damiba took over. Earlier this month, he also took over the position of defense minister after dismissing a brigadier general from the post.

“It’s hard for the Burkinabe junta to claim that it has delivered on its promise of improving the security situation, which was its pretext for the January coup,” Humphery-Smith said.

Earlier this week at least 11 soldiers were killed and 50 civilians were missing after a supply convoy was attacked by gunmen in Gaskinde commune in Soum province in the Sahel. That attack was “a low point” for Damiba's government and “likely played a role in inspiring what we’ve seen so far today," added Humphery-Smith.

___

Mednick reported from Barcelona. Associated Press writer Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal, contributed.