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Who Is Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traoré?

Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the interim leader of Burkina Faso, rose to power in September 2022 after leading a coup against Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, who himself had overthrown former president Roch Marc Kaboré earlier that year. 

Since taking power, he has been praised for his anti-colonial rhetoric, particularly his criticism of France, which led to the withdrawal of French forces from the country. Traoré has also played a key role in forming the Alliance of Sahel States with Mali and Niger, signaling a shift away from the regional bloc ECOWAS. He has mobilized civilian militias and redirected resources to combat violent extremism, earning comparisons to the revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara. 

However, his rule has been marked by increased violence, alleged coup attempts, and crackdowns on dissent, raising concerns about stability and human rights. A total of 3,059 violent incidents have been linked to militant Islamist groups since he came to power in October 2022. The number of deaths linked to militant Islamist violence nearly doubled from 3,621 in 2022 to 6,389 in 2024.

InFocus

Présidence du Faso/Page Facebook

Captain Ibrahim Traoré is the interim leader of Burkina Faso.

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