Burkina Faso: Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the putschist removed from power by a new coup

Ouagadougou: investiture ceremony for the presidency of Burkina Faso of Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, March 2, 2022. © OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP

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2 mins

After a day of confusion on Friday 30, the president of the transition, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, was overthrown.

The news was made official on the 8 p.m. television news.

He himself overthrew Roch Marc Christian Kaboré in January 2022.

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Like his predecessor Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, whom he overthrew last January, Lieutenant-Colonel Damiba also fell for not being able to stem the wave of terrorism in the country.

The high-ranking officer is however recognized as a competent field soldier, specialist in the anti-jihadist fight, recalls our special envoy to Ouagadougou,

.

Aged 41, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was trained at the Military Academy of Po, in southern Burkina Faso.

Company commander for eight years in the Presidential Security Regiment, led by General Gilbert Diendéré.

However, he will oppose his superior in 2015 during the coup attempt led by the latter.

He is one of those whom the former transitional president Michel Kafando had nicknamed "the boys" because of this opposition.

Lieutenant-Colonel Damiba had also testified in 2019 during the trial of General Diendéré.

►Also read:

Repeat again

Experienced in combat against the jihadists, he was appointed last December commander of the 3rd military region covering the eastern part of the country and the capital Ouagadougou.

An appointment that follows

, where 53 gendarmes were killed in a terrorist attack. 

The attack too many, which had pushed former President Kaboré to the exit.

History repeats itself, this time against Lieutenant-Colonel Damiba, after the ambush on Monday 

on its way to Djibo which left eleven soldiers killed and around fifty civilians missing.

►Also read: Who is Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the president of the MPSR?

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• Burkina Faso

• Defense

• Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba

• Portrait