Kiswensida Farouk Aziz Sorgho announces on television that army captain Ibrahim Traore has ousted Burkina Faso's military leader Paul-Henri Damiba and dissolved the government and constitution, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, September 30, 2022, in this still image obtained from a video. Radio Television Burkina Faso/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT. BURKINA FASO OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN BURKINA FASO
Army captain Ibrahim Traore has ousted Burkina Faso’s military leader Paul-Henri Damiba (Picture: Reuters)

Members of Burkina Faso’s armed forces have announced they’ve carried out another coup on state TV.

Armed and masked soldiers confirmed they have ousted the country’s military leader Paul-Henri Damiba and seized power.

In a statement read on national television late on Friday, army captain Ibrahim Traore cited the previous leaders failure to deal with Islamist uprisings as the reason for his removal.

He also announced that borders were closed indefinitely and all political activities were suspended, before dissolving the current government and suspending its constitution.

The takeover is the West African nation’s second coup in eight months, following the overthrow of democratically elected president Roch Marc Kaboré.

Lt Col Damiba’s junta said it would keep the country safe from Islamist insurgents which have been waging war in the country since 2015 but his efforts have fuelled discontent among his own ranks.

A group of 11 soldiers were killed on Monday while escorting a convoy of civilian vehicles, news which triggered protests in the capital during which gunfire was heard.

Young men chant slogans against the power of Lieutenant-Colonel Damiba, against France and pro-Russia, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Friday Sept. 30, 2022. Residents say gunfire rang out early in the morning and the state broadcaster has gone off the air, fueling fears that another coup is underway. The developments Friday come just after coup leader-turned-president, Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, returned from a trip to the U.N. General Assembly. (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia)
Young men chant pro-Russian and anti-French slogans as they take to the streets to support the coup(Picture: AP)
epa10216262 People gather in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 30 September 2022. Gunshots have been heard near the presidential palace in Ouagadougou with what some residents claim to be an alleged coup attempt. Access has been blocked by the military to some government buildings including the national assembly and the national broadcaster. In January 2022 the current head of state, Lt-Col Paul-Henri Damiba, ousted President Roch Kabore through a coup. Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba has called for calm. EPA/ASSANE OUEDRAOGO EPA-EFE/ASSANE OUEDRAOGO
Gunshots were heard near the presidential palace in Ouagadougou before the army announced the country’s leader had been deposed (Picture: EPA)

‘Faced with the deteriorating situation, we tried several times to get Damiba to refocus the transition on the security question,” said the statement signed by Traore.

‘Damiba’s actions gradually convinced us that his ambitions were diverting away from what we set out to do. We decided this day to remove Damiba,’ it said.

Soldiers have urged locals to go about their usual business in the meantime and have promised the international community they will honour existing agreements.

Damiba’s current whereabouts are unknown.

Following the announcement crowds gathered on the streets of the nation’s capital, Ouagadougou, to show their support for the coup.

Some of the demonstrators voiced support for Russian involvement in order to stem the violence, with others shouting slogans critical of Burkina Faso’s former coloniser, France.

Kiswensida Farouk Aziz Sorgho announces on television that army captain Ibrahim Traore has ousted Burkina Faso's military leader Paul-Henri Damiba and dissolved the government and constitution, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, September 30, 2022, in this still image obtained from a video. Radio Television Burkina Faso/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT. BURKINA FASO OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN BURKINA FASO
The takeover is Burkina Faso’s second coup this year, and the eight to take place following the country’s independance in 1960 (Picture: Reuters)

Wagner – Russian mercenaries who have active in Africa – had recently been deployed to support a military junta in neighbouring Mali, although it is unknown if they currently have a presence in Burkina Faso or not.

The incident is the eighth successful coup to take place in the West African nation since it became independent in 1960.

Many in Burkina Faso initially supported Damiba’s military takeover in January, frustrated with the previous government’s inability to stem Islamist violence that has killed thousands and displaced at least 2 million. 

The UN has voiced concern over the coup and has appealed for calm.

‘Burkina Faso needs peace, it needs stability, and it needs unity in order to fight terrorist groups and criminal networks operating in parts of the country,’ UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said.

Chrysogone Zougmore, president of the Burkina Faso Movement for Human Rights, said Friday’s developments were ‘very regrettable’, and claimed the instability would not help in the fight against the extremist violence.

‘How can we hope to unite people and the army if the latter is characterised by such serious divisions?’ Zougmore said.

‘It is time for these reactionary and political military factions to stop leading Burkina Faso adrift.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.