Confused situation in the early morning in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, where gunfire resounded. During the night, soldiers were deployed around strategic points in the city. President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba is in the capital and is doing well, according to one of his relatives. But the signal of the National Television is cut.
Heavy gunfire was heard in Ouagadougou at around 4:30 a.m. local time on Friday, September 30. According to witnesses, they came from the vicinity of Kosyam, the presidential palace, and Camp Baba Sy, the headquarters of the transitional president, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and his men.
Strategic points of the capital taken by storm
At the same time, soldiers were deployed around this camp but also at other strategic locations in the capital such as the United Nations traffic circle, preventing all comings and goings. The signal of the Burkina Broadcasting Corporation (RTB) is cut. For the time being, the situation remains confused.
Damiba is said to be in good health
According to a person close to the president of the transition, Paul-Henri Damiba, “the Head of State is well and is in Ouagadougou. The head of the Burkinabe junta came to power on January 24, 2022, less than a year ago. He had overthrown the former president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
The head of the junta unconvincing in the fight against terrorism
Lieutenant Colonel Damiba had justified his seizure of power by the inability of President Kaboré to stop attacks by jihadist groups.
But since his accession to power, the promise has still not been kept. Insecurity is growing and Paul-Henri Damiba is struggling to convince. For several weeks now, some discontent has been growing against the transitional government, amplified in recent days by the attack on a convoy in Gaskindé (North), which left a dozen people dead.
Already on Thursday, September 29, demonstrators were in the streets of Bobo-Dioulasso to demand the resignation of Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, president of the transition in Burkina Faso.