At least 10 organizers of the foiled coup attempt in Burkina Faso have been arrested and authorities say they are still looking for other top suspects who are still at large, according to BBC. The government of Burkina Faso has blamed the unsuccessful coup on forces allied to the exiled President Blaise Compaore. According to the Minister for Interior, Simon Compaore, forces loyal to the ex-president planned to attack the presidential palace on October 8th.
Authorities say they uncovered the plot after the military police arrested four men, who were later discovered to be affiliated with Compaore.
Two of them were reportedly killed while attempting to take guns from the officers.
The interior minister added that three of them were wanted for an attack on a weapons depot in January.
Disgruntled Ex-President
The group of soldiers from the former president’s security unit also planned to attack a prison and free their comrades who were part of another failed coup last year.
In September 2015, soldiers loyal to Compaore staged an unsuccessful coup against the transitional government that was formed in the wake of his fall from power.
The coup was thwarted by street protesters and the army, which overran the plotter’s barracks and arrested dozens of soldiers.
Rise and Fall of Compaore
Compaore assumed office in 1987 after a bloody coup in which President Thomas Sankara was killed.
He immediately introduced rectification” policies, which overturned the socialist programs that Sankara had established during his tenure.
Compaore went on to win subsequent elections in 1991, 1998, 2005, and 2010, albeit in questionable circumstances.
He was overthrown in 2014 after he attempted to change the constitution to extend his 27-year reign, and fled to the Ivory Coast, where he currently resides.
Last week’s failed coup came days after the government announced the release of Colonel Mamadou Bamba, who reportedly called for the 2015’s failed coup attempt.
