The President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré has reportedly been arrested and detained by the military following a coup attempt.
According to reports, heavy gunfire shots was heard around the presidential palace in the capital, Ouagadougou on Sunday night.
Also, on Monday morning, the presidential armoured vehicles were seen covered in bullets and the seats soaked in blood abandoned in the streets.
Protestors took to the streets on Sunday evening to support the soldiers and also set fire to the ruling party’s headquarters.
The soldiers have surrounded the state television headquarters and there has been no live programming on Monday.
The President’s location is currently unknown and other government ministers are at the Sangoule Lamizana barracks in the capital.
There has been no communication from President Kaboré himself since Sunday night, when he posted to social media congratulating the national football team on their win in the African Cup of Nations match.
Since 2015, the country has been fighting an Islamist insurgency that spilled over from neighbouring Mali.
This has fuelled anger in the military and damaged the once important tourist industry.
The current situation in Burkina Faso comes a week after 11 soldiers were arrested for allegedly plotting a coup.
The military expressed displeasure over the government’s failure to defeat an Islamist insurgency since 2015.
This escalated when 53 people, mainly members of the security forces, were killed by suspected jihadists.
A list of demands presented by soldiers made no mention of trying to oust Kaboré, instead demanding an improved anti-jihadist strategy, more support for troops, the wounded and their families.
“We want adequate resources for the battle against Islamist extremists”, a soldier from the Sangoule Lamizana base in Ouagadougou said in a voice recording.
