Highlight
Burkina Faso Secretary General of the Defence Ministry announced in a press briefing that 30 members of the 1,300-strong elite force that last month staged a coup in the country have missed a deadline to report to their new stations.
Colonel Major Alassane Mone also raised concern that some weapons were still missing after the government called for surrendering of the weapons after the short-lived September coup.
The missing weapons, coupled with deviant former coup plotters of have raised concerns among analysts of a possibility of stemming up of an armed opposition militia in Burkina Faso.
Background
The presidential guard (RSP) that on September 17 announced a coup in Burkina Faso Tuesday disarmed and was formally disbanded at a ceremony in the capital Ouagadougou.
A majority of former planners of the coup under the Elite Force had taken up new postings with the military. Those left to join loyalist forces had until October 2 to show up at their new postings.
The Burkinabe government announced that those who failed to join the government and take up their new postings would be “considered deserters”. This is a clear implication of individuals opposed to the regime.
And now according to Burkina Faso Secretary General of the Defence Ministry Colonel Major Alassane Mone, at least 30 members of the former RSP have yet reported to their stations.
These are former forces opposed to Burkinabe government who are still at large, with weapons witnessing their former leader and allies face the law. At least 20 troops mainly RSP members including coup leader General Gilbert Diendere, who on Tuesday was charged with murder and attacking state security.
According to analysts forecast, the deviant coup plotters could organize themselves in an armed militia opposed to the regime in support of ex-president Blaise Compaore who was ousted in a popular uprising in 2014.
