Burkina Faso's military government announced that it had thwarted several destabilization attempts orchestrated by a former high-ranking military official.

Security Minister Mahamadou Sana revealed on state television that Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who was ousted from power in 2022, was behind the "military aspect of the plot."

PHOTO | COURTESY Suspected coup leader ieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba

According to Sana, multiple arrests were made, including that of Ahmed Kinda, a former commander of the country’s special forces.

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Damiba initially took control in a January 2022 coup, overthrowing the then-elected President Roch Marc Christian Kabore. However, just eight months later, Captain Ibrahim Traore ousted him, and Damiba now leads the nation.

PHOTO | COURTESY  Suspected coup leader, lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba

Since Traore's rise to power, Burkina Faso has shifted its alliances, distancing itself from former colonial ruler France and seeking to counter a severe jihadist insurgency that began in 2015 from neighboring Mali.

The country has since sought military support from Russia and strengthened diplomatic ties with Iran, Turkey, and other Sahelian nations, including Mali and Niger, which are also under military rule and combating jihadist threats.