Burkina Faso foiled an attempt to destabilize the country - Security minister

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso’s Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said on national television Monday night that “individuals residing in Cote d'Ivoire have been involved in subversive activities against.” Burkina

The minister accused namely 14 people of plotting the destabilization attempt. Among them junta opponents, the leader of the Jan. 2022 coup, two former ministers, two journalists. Unidentified conspirators includedWestern intelligence officials.

Authorities say an elaborate three-phased plot was devised by some Burkinabé civilians and servicemen living abroad who paid and trained armed groups to conduct attacks.

Economic operators and leaders of the civil society were allegedly involved in destabilization efforts.

The second phase included attacks on the presidential palace, a military drone base, and an airport. The last phase was attacks near the Ivory Coast border.

These phases were prevented, the security minister said.

The first phase of their alleged plan was the jihadi attack that killed at least 100 people in central Burkina Faso last month.

The second phase included attacks on the presidential palace, a military drone base, and an airport. The last phase was attacks near the Ivory Coast border.

These phases were prevented, the security minister said.

The plot also involved civil society actors and economic operators.

The minister revealed that several arrests had been made in Niger, leading to the dismantling of a significant portion of the plot.

The government has launched a special anti-terrorist operation to neutralize any remaining threats and has warned that such destabilising actions will no longer be tolerated.

The authorities have urged families of the plotters to denounce them and distance themselves from their subversive activities.