Crisis Chronology | Burkina Faso

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BURKINA FASO

09/16/2023

Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso sign a security pact promising to come to the aid of each other in case of any rebellion or external aggression. All are currently ruled by military juntas and menaced by extremist militants in the Sahel.

01/30/2023

Government says more than two score were killed in attacks by militants. More than a third of the country is not under control of the government.

01/22/2023

Government demands that French troops leave the country, although it says there is no diplomatic rupture between the two countries.

11/11/2022

Transitional legislature begins work. All 71 of its members have been appointed by the head of state (20), the military (16), civil society organizations (12), regional representatives (13), or political parties (10).

10/25/2022

Government launches a drive to recruit 50,000 to the army to fight jihadists.

10/06/2022

Traore, the President of the so-called Patriotic Movement for Safeguarding and Restoration (MPSR), is named “Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

10/02/2022

Protestors target French embassy, but junta says that the situation is under control. Traore urges people not to attack the embassy.

10/01/2022

Streets in Ougadougu are calm. The new military junta announces that the timeline for a new transitional government is reset. The AU denounces the coup. Later, it is reported that Damiba has officially resigned and left Burkina Faso for Togo.

09/30/2022

Another coup replaces government

Gunfire on the streets of the capital, Ouagadougou, and several main roads are blocked by the army. A government spokesman says the army is suffering “an internal crisis.” Later, army captain Ibrahim Traore announces that he has removed Damiba from power because of his inability to deal with the Islamist insurgency. He also announces the dissolution of the transitional government and that the borders are closed. Damiba’s whereabouts are unknown.

07/05/2022

Several attacks in the north by Islamic militants.

07/04/2022

ECOWAS accepts transition plan presented by Burkina Faso junta.

06/13/2022

Government says that at least fifty have been killed by suspected Islamic militants in the northern town of Seytenga.

04/26/2022

Community leaders begin talks with local armed groups that are not allied with Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State.

04/08/2022

Kaboré is allowed to return to his private residence.

04/06/2022

Former president Blaise Compaoré convicted in absentia of the murder of then-president Thomas Sankara in 1987.

03/03/2022

Damiba appoints Albert Ouédraogo, an economist, to be prime minister for the transition period.

02/28/2022

The Transitional Charter Committee adopts and Damiba signs an agreement that allows the military three years to transition to civilian government. Eddie Komigo, leader of an opposition party and a member of the committee, supports the agreement.

02/27/2022

Junta, in a press conference, says that the country can only return to constitutional government. The Transition Charter committee appointed by the junta calls for a “small government and legislative body” to run the government until then.

02/20/2022

Substantial demonstration in the capital in support of the military government.

02/19/2022

Mali military reports clashes with “unidentified armed men” in which soldiers and attackers are killed, in the region on the border with Burkina Faso and Niger.

01/31/2022

AU suspends Burkina Faso in response to the coup. Military junta says it has restored the constitution and names coup leader Damiba president.

01/25/2022

Supporters of the coup rally in the streets, calling for closer ties with Russia and distancing from France.

01/24/2022

Kaboré deposed

Mutinous soldiers arrest President Kaboré. Government denies that a coup is in process, but in fact Kaboré has been sequestered. The coup participants, calling themselves the Patriotic Movement for Safeguarding and Restoration, led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, say they are in control of the country. The US, the UN, ECOWAS, and the EU all condemn the coup.

01/23/2022

Soldiers mutiny, demanding resources to fight jihadists, dismissal of the military and intelligence chiefs, and more aid for their wounded.

01/12/2022

Eight soldiers are arrested for attempting to destabilize institutions in the country.

12/11/2021

New prime minister appointed

Kaboré appoints Lassina Zerbo, former head of a nuclear supervisory agency, to be prime minister.

12/08/2021

Government falls

Prime Minister Christophe Joseph Marie Dabire resigns, which by law requires the entire government to resign. A series of terrorist attacks resulted in protests against the government and a call from the opposition for a new government.

12/08/2021

Government falls

11/14/2021

More than fifty police are killed by armed militants of Al-Qaeda or ISIS (ISIL).

10/12/2021

Trial is postponed for two weeks after defense lawyers ask for more time to review the evidence.

10/11/2021

Trial for the assassination of former leader Thomas Sankara begins with fourteen accused, including former president Blaise Compaoré, in absentia.

09/27/2021

People's Movement for Progress, MPP, appointed Bala Alassane Sakandé as its new leader. A former president of the National Assembly, Sakandé is an ally of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.

06/04/2021

Attack by Islamist extremists kills more than a hundred and fifty in north.

04/13/2021

A military court indicts former president Blaise Compaore for the 1987 murder of his predecessor, Thomas Sankara. Compaore is in exile in Ivory Coast.

11/30/2020

Kaboré’s Mouvement du people (MPP) fails to gain a majority in parliament seats in the just concluded election, winning 56 of the 127 seats.

11/22/2020

General election. Zéphirin Diabré is again the main opposition candidate against President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.

11/22/2020

General election. Zéphirin Diabré is again the main opposition candidate against President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.

11/22/2020

General election. Zéphirin Diabré is again the main opposition candidate against President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.

06/17/2020

Severe drought hurting agricultural production.

04/21/2020

Government to investigate arbitrary killing of civilians in a counterterrorism action.

03/25/2020

Burkina Faso confirms its first case of COVID-19.

09/14/2019

ECOWAS countries pledge $1 billion to fight jihadi violence in the Sahel.

09/14/2019

ECOWAS holds an Extraordinary Meeting to consider response to the terrorist attacks in the Sahel region.

09/10/2019

Hundreds of thousands of Burkinabe have been forced from their homes by jihadist attacks, including more than a hundred attacks on health centers. The government complains that aid promised by G7 countries has not arrived. Northern Mali, not under government control, is a haven for jihadis, and for the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, a separatist group.

03/22/2019

Constitutional referendum is postponed abruptly over security concerns. No date announced.

02/24/2019

Government calls new election for 4/28.

01/28/2019

Ansarul Islam, a group linked to Al Qaeda, kills soldiers in the north. Jihadist groups have become increasingly active in the north, which borders Mali and Niger.

01/21/2019

Kaboré names Christophe Joseph Marie Dabire, health minister in the Campaoré government, to be new prime minister.

01/19/2019

PM Paul Kaba Thieba and his cabinet resign after a series of terrorist attacks and demand for the government’s resignation. President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré says he will form a new government by 1/21.

01/11/2019

Parliament extends state of emergency as terrorist attacks increase.

12/31/2018

A state of emergency is declared in several provinces as a result of jihadist attacks.

12/31/2018

Kaboré declares a state of emergency due to jihadist attacks in the north and east and threats to Ouagadougou. The major groups responsible are Ansarul Islam, a domestic jihadist group with ties to ISIS, and JNIM, a merger of several jihadist groups operating in the Sahel affiliated to al-Qaeda.

09/25/2018

Increasing attacks by jihadist groups in eastern Burkina Faso. They are believed to be trained in Mali.

04/18/2018

Protests over the lack of equality in land reform. There have been regular demonstrations against the government ineffectual efforts for the economy and security.

07/02/2017

France, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger form an anti-jihadist military alliance called the G5.

10/08/2016

Attempted coup by Gaston Couliby, former member of the presidential security guard, suppressed.

11/30/2015

Kaboré elected president

Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, a former prime minister under Compaoré who had left the former leader's party in protest, is elected in the first round, with 60% of the vote.

09/16/2015

Attempted coup by Compoaré loyalists is suppressed.