Burkina Faso’s former transitional president, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, and fourteen other military officers have been officially dismissed from the national armed forces.
The dismissal was ordered through a decree signed by the head of state, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, on Monday.
The decree cites “particularly serious misconduct,” including actions that allegedly compromised military integrity and the reputation of the armed forces.
The officers are accused of coordinating with foreign powers and terrorist groups to further destabilize the country.
The list of dismissed officers includes notable figures such as Lieutenant Colonel Évrard Somda, former Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie; Colonel Bamouni Yves Didier, former Commander of National Theatre Operations (COTN); and Magistrate Commander Pousbila Alphonse Zorma, former military prosecutor of the Ouagadougou Military Tribunal.
Most of these officers were already detained on charges of “conspiracy against state security.” Captain Traoré assumed power on September 30, 2022, after a coup against Damiba, who himself had ousted former President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré just eight months prior.