Burkina Faso’s ruling military junta issued a decree on Friday dismissing Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and announcing the dissolution of the national government.
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The military’s leader, Ibrahim Traore, said officials in the dissolved government will continue to perform their duties until a new government is formed. No reason was given for the move.
The junta in Burkina Faso seized power in September 2022 by ousting the military rule of Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba about eight months after it staged a coup to remove democratically elected President Roch Marc Kaboré.
The country is one of several West African nations where the military has recently taken over, capitalising on popular discontent with previous democratically elected governments over security issues.
However, since its inception, the junta has struggled to end Burkina Faso’s security challenges – the very reason that it claimed had prompted it to take power.
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Chinese diplomat monitors Burkina Faso coup as military ousts president citing security concerns
Chinese diplomat monitors Burkina Faso coup as military ousts president citing security concerns
Growing attacks by extremists linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have devastated Burkina Faso where thousands have been killed in recent years and more than 2 million people have been displaced, half of them children.