Burkina Faso Military junta sacks Prime Minister over security crisis

Burkina Faso’s military junta has dismissed interim Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and dissolved the government, according to a decree issued by junta leader Ibrahim Traoré’s office on Friday.

The decree provided no explanation for Tambela’s removal. Tambela was appointed interim prime minister shortly after Traoré took power in a coup in September 2022, one of several military takeovers to shake West Africa’s Sahel region in recent years.

Until a new cabinet is formed, members of the dissolved government will continue to serve in their roles, the decree confirmed.

Burkina Faso has grappled with an escalating Islamist insurgency since militants linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State spread into its borders from neighbouring Mali nearly a decade ago. The ongoing violence has displaced millions, strained resources, and destabilised communities.

When Traoré assumed power, he pledged to tackle the insurgency more effectively than his predecessors. However, the security situation has worsened under his leadership, and rights groups accuse his regime of stifling dissent and imposing restrictions on freedom of expression.

The upheaval in Burkina Faso reflects broader instability across the Sahel, where military coups in Mali, Niger, and Guinea have disrupted democratic governance. Analysts warn that these political crises risk compounding the region’s challenges, including terrorism, poverty, and humanitarian emergencies.

The removal of Tambela raises questions about Traoré’s ability to deliver on his promises of improved governance and security. Observers now await the appointment of a new cabinet, hoping for clarity on the junta’s next steps in a nation teetering on the brink.