Arrest of the former chief of staff of the National Gendarmerie in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso’s former chief of staff of the National Gendarmerie has arrested officer Evrar Soumda by members of Burkina Faso forces, AFP reported.

A source close to Somda said it was not yet known whether the arrest was on the orders of military or judicial authorities or a kidnapping.

Last year, the military official was questioned by the military judiciary as part of an investigation into the alleged plot against state security involving two commanders of special gendarmerie units, according to judicial sources.

Burkina Faso’s ruling military council announced on more than one occasion that it had thwarted a coup attempt against the current president, Captain Brahim Traoré, who has ruled the country since the end of September 2022 following a military coup that overthrew Colonel Paul Henry Sandogo Dambia, months after the latter and some other military personnel overthrew civilian President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

Burkina Faso has received 25,000 tons of wheat as a donation from Russia