Burkina Faso: Strategical appointments at the head of the army by President Ibrahim Traoré
Burkina Faso transitional president, His Excellency Ibrahim Traoré, appointed new leaders to head the army and fight against jihadist groups to recapture their strongholds.
According to a presidential decree, Captain Ibrahim Traoré replaced the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Colonel-Major David Kabré, who had been in office since February 2022, with Colonel-Major Célestin Simporé.
Until then, Deputy Chief of Staff, Célestin Simporé had presided over the national meeting in October 2022 who led to the appointment of the Captain Traoré as the transitional President, shortly after his rise to power.
Additionally, the Head of State Ibrahim Traoré also appointed Colonel Théophile Nikiema as the Chief of Staff of the Army.
These changes coming as Burkina Faso is facing a surge in deadly attacks attributed to jihadists, demonstrating the President’s determination to go on the offensive to regain control of the national territory.
«These are leaders of men, tasked with leading and coordinating offensives on the front line in the war to regain territory, as desired by the Head of State», explained a high-ranking security source, who sees this as a «shift to a new phase, one of offense and the pursuit of terrorists».
Since a recent acquisition of air combat capabilities, the army has regularly been releasing videos of strikes on columns or gatherings of suspected jihadists, stating that the reconquest and securing of the entire territory is underway.
Yannick H.
