In Burkina Faso, Colonel-Major Célestin Simporé becomes the new Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (Cemga). He was, until then, Deputy Chief of Staff; he replaces Colonel-Major David Kabré. According to observers from the defense sector on the spot, it was the latter who had convinced senior army officers to accept Captain Ibrahim Traoré as head of the transition.
The former president of the national assizes
It should be noted that the new Chief of General Staff Célestin Simporé is the one who chaired the national meetings of October 2022 which had appointed Captain Traoré as president of the transition just after the September putsch. The Burkinabè head of the junta has also appointed Colonel Théophile Nikièma as the new chief of staff of the army. He replaces Colonel Adam Neré who has held this position since February 2022.
Faithful
It is therefore a loyal captain who has been appointed. According to a source familiar with military issues in Burkina Faso, these changes come as the Burkinabè army is divided on the strategy to follow against armed groups. And that deadly attacks attributed to jihadists are on the increase.
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