The French embassy in Burkina Faso on Monday said the situation in the West African nation remained confused amid reports that President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was arrested after troops staged a mutiny Sunday night.
While Kaboré has not been seen since the weekend’s dramatic events, some Burkinabé officials have denied the reports of his arrest.
Shots were heard late Sunday near Kaboré‘s home after soldiers staged mutinies at several barracks to demand the sacking of the country’s military top brass and more resources for the battle against Islamist insurgents.
Residents also reported they saw a helicopter above the the president’s home in the capital Ouagadougou.
It followed gunfire earlier Sunday at several army bases, prompting fears of yet another coup in a volatile West African country prone to military takeovers.
If this is confirmed as a coup d’état, it would mark the fourth military coup in the past year in West and Central Africa, a region once known as the continent’s “coup belt”. FRANCE 24’s James André reports from Bamako, Mali.
Meanwhile, the French Embassy in Burkina Faso has advised French nationals not to go outdoors, saying that the situation in the country remains confusing.
Two Air France flights scheduled for Monday evening have been cancelled.
French schools in the country will remain closed on Tuesday. The Embassy said that it would publish further instructions later on in the day.
AFP news agency reports that President Kaboré is currently detained in army barracks.
“President Kabore, the head of parliament and the ministers are effectively in the hands of the soldiers” at the Sangoule Lamizana barracks in the capital Ouagadougou, two security sources said.
