Burkina Faso's military junta has revealed a daring plot to assassinate Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the country's leader. The plan, allegedly masterminded by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, who was removed from power by Traoré in September 2022, was a complex and well-funded operation. Security Minister Mahamadou Sana revealed that the authorities intercepted the plot in its final stages, with a leaked video showing the conspirators discussing their intentions. The video revealed their plan to kill the president either by explosives or close-range weapons at his residence just after 23:00 local time on January 3rd. The plotters aimed to target other key military and civilian figures and even planned to disable the country's drone-launch base before foreign forces could respond. The minister also claimed that the plot was funded by neighboring Ivory Coast, with a significant sum of 70 million CFA francs ($125,000; £92,000) provided by foreign sources. The junta has arrested several individuals involved and is conducting ongoing investigations, urging citizens to remain vigilant and avoid falling for dangerous schemes. Critics, however, have accused Traoré of authoritarianism and suppressing dissent, including arbitrary arrests and media restrictions. This is not the first time the junta has accused Ivory Coast of foreign interference, and the internal power struggles are expected to escalate regional tensions.
