Attacks in Burkina Faso: the first sanctions fall, skepticism remains
Burkinabè soldiers during training to fight terrorism in the east of the country, April 13, 2018. (Illustrative image) AFP PHOTO / ISSOUF SANOGO
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Faced with the resurgence and violence of attacks by armed terrorist groups, the Burkinabè populations demonstrated to demand measures and demand the resignation of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
Faced with this anger, the first sanctions begin to fall.
Two senior officers of the armed forces were dismissed from their posts, and President Kaboré signed up.
But for political analysts, these sanctions are far from calming the anger of the populations, given the gravity of the situation.
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With our correspondent in Ouagadougou,
Yaya Boudani
Across the country, people
demonstrated to denounce the dysfunctions
within the security apparatus and demand the resignation of the Head of State.
The government has delivered a new assessment of
the attack against the gendarmerie in Inata on
Sunday, November 14: 53 dead, 49 gendarmes and four civilians killed.
To calm the anger of the Burkinabè, the first sanctions fell.
The commander of the grouping of forces in the northern sector, which includes the regions of the Center-North, the North and the Sahel, prey to repeated terrorist attacks, is relieved of his duties.
The commander of the first gendarmerie region, which covers the departmental groups installed in Kaya, Ouahigouya and Dori, is also thanked.
"
We should no longer hear about food issues and premium issues in our army,
" said President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. In his speech, the president said that the “
dysfunctions
” which undermine the army of Burkina Faso are “
unacceptable
”, and that he “
understands very well the various reactions of anger expressed here and there
”. "
We must put our men in all the conditions that allow them to face terrorism with all the courage and determination it takes,
" added the Head of State.
Council of Ministers of this Wednesday, November 17, 2021.
A minute of silence was observed in memory of our valiant gendarmes who fell on the field of honor in Inata.
pic.twitter.com/AzEtwmJl1B
- Roch KABORE (@rochkaptepf) November 17, 2021
However, the first sanctions taken are insufficient, according to some analysts, who consider these two commanders as collateral victims of the Inata attack.
Political analyst Lionel Bilgo believes that more drastic measures should have been taken given the gravity of the situation.
“
The problem runs deeper within the armed forces.
There has been a kind of sabotage at the command level for a few years and exemplary sanctions are needed at the highest level,
”he maintains.
Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, he promised that once the investigation is completed, those who failed Inata "
will be subject to disciplinary sanctions without exception
".
"
I specify it: without exception
", he hammered.
The gendarmes were short of food
Roch Marc Christian Kaboré mentioned logistics, bonuses and food problems. Questions "
that we must not hear any more about
" he declared. Because the gendarmerie detachment of Inata was short of food at the time of the attack. According to a document that leaked on social networks and that RFI was able to authenticate, the men of Inata's gendarmerie were completely out of food. In this internal communication to the gendarmerie, which dates from November 12, the day before the attack, the detachment leader of Inata asks for "
urgent supplies
" of food. He explains that for two weeks now, men have sometimes had to leave their posts to go hunting animals around the barracks.
"This failure necessarily stems from a human error
" explains this Thursday morning, a source close to the file which ensures that Burkina has food in sufficient quantity to feed its soldiers, as well as air means to transport them.
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Burkina Faso
Roch Marc Christian Kaboré
Terrorism