Apart from this demonstration, the situation seemed to return to calm. The large market, shops and gas stations were open and there was no particularly large military presence in the city center, an AFP journalist noted.
On Monday night, the military announced on television that it had seized power after an uprising amid criticism of the president for his failure to contain the rise of jihadists.
The coup plotters announced on television the “end of the mandate” of Kaboré, in government since 2015.
Power is now in the hands of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguarding and Restoration (MPSR) and its leader, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, commander of the third military region that covers the east of the country, particularly affected by jihadist attacks. .
The MPSR established a curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., dissolved the Assembly and suspended the Constitution. It also closed the borders, but the military junta announced that it would start opening air connections starting this Tuesday.
Uncertainty
This Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that Kaboré, whose whereabouts remain unknown, “had confirmed to him yesterday (Monday) night that he was in good health and that he was not threatened.”
The same uncertainty hovered around Prime Minister Lassina Zerbo and other officials from the previous government.
Burkina Faso has suffered several coup attempts. In neighboring Mali, where the jihadist insurgency began, the military overthrew a civilian government in 2020.