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Burkina Faso Armed Forces

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The Burkina Faso Armed Forces ( French : Forces armées du Burkina Faso ) is the term used for the national military of Burkina Faso . The service branches of the armed forces include its Army , Air Force , National Gendarmerie and People's Militia . Being a landlocked country, Burkina Faso has no navy .

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37-588: In 1966 a military coup deposed the first president of Upper Volta , Maurice Yaméogo , suspended the constitution, dissolved the National Assembly, and placed Lieutenant Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana at the head of a government of senior army officers. The army remained in power for 4 years; on June 14, 1970, the Voltans ratified a new constitution that established a 4-year transition period toward complete civilian rule. Lamizana remained in power throughout

74-558: A 1987 coup that led to the death of Sankara. On February 15, 2011, soldiers mutinied in Ouagadougou over unpaid housing allowances. On April 18, 2011, it was reported that the mutiny had spread to Kaya after demonstrations in and Tenkodogo . On April 29, 2011, the army said the mutiny would end after Compaoré promised to improve the military's housing, clothing and food allowances, though there were later protests by soldiers. After

111-510: A break in relations with the West, or that the government had a sectarian character. While Yaméogo was Catholic and Lamizana Muslim , many of the military co-conspirators were also Catholic. A month after the coup, on 1 February, Lamizana visited President Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan , and on 17 February the junta announced an austerity budget very similar to that of the previous government. Half

148-477: A coup by members of the Regiment of Presidential Security on September 16, 2015, army units marched on Ouagadougou to oppose the coup, resulting in the restoration of Burkina Faso's transitional government (which was appointed after the 2014 Burkinabe uprising ) on September 23, 2015. In a coup attempt on January 24, 2022, mutinying soldiers arrested President Roch Kabore following gunfire. On April 20, 2023,

185-601: A dealer in Belgium, which offered the FABF a much simpler and less expensive alternative in tactical air support to the expensive MiGs. The Warriors were not only used for pilot training, but also as light strike aircraft, and a number of them were employed by the FABF's Escadrille de Chasse (EdC). Four additional SF.260WPs were subsequently bought directly from Italy. The six ex-Philippine SF.260WP aircraft were taken out of service in 1993 and returned to their previous owner, although

222-480: A safe haven for terrorist groups." The first partner nations in the program included Algeria , Chad , Mali , Mauritania , Morocco , Niger , Senegal , Nigeria and Tunisia . Current membership includes eleven African countries: Algeria, Burkina Faso , Libya , Morocco, Tunisia, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal. The goal of the alliance is not to fight in hot spots, but to provide preventive training and engagement with governments to help prevent

259-638: A subordinate unit of the Army. That year, a transient air support base was created with the assistance of the French Air Force . After acquiring an initial fleet of utility and transport aircraft, the squadron was attached to an inter-army support regiment. In 1970, the Escadrille was renamed the Force Aérienne de Haute-Volta , or FAHV, and in 1977 became an autonomous force. In October 1985,

296-722: A transition to civilian rule and a new constitution. Factional infighting developed between moderates in the CSP and radicals led by Captain Thomas Sankara , who was appointed prime minister in January 1983. The internal political struggle and Sankara's leftist rhetoric led to his arrest and subsequent efforts to bring about his release, directed by Captain Blaise Compaoré . This release effort resulted in yet another military coup d'état on August 4, 1983. Compaoré came to power in

333-400: A year later on 21 September all political activities were banned in the country. Former President Maurice Yaméogo remained imprisoned following the coup. His son Hermann Yaméogo unsuccessfully tried to free him and restore him to the presidency, for which he got seven years in prison. On May 8, 1969, Yaméogo was condemned to five years of forced work and to a lifetime banishment. However, he

370-602: Is an interagency plan by the United States government, combining efforts by both civil and military agencies, "to combat terrorism in Trans-Saharan Africa. The military component of TSCTI comprises the U.S. efforts of Operation Enduring Freedom - Trans Sahara . The goal of TSCTI is to counter terrorist influences in the region and assist governments to better control their territory and to prevent huge tracts of largely deserted African territory from becoming

407-612: The Armed Forces The 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état was an event which took place on 3 January 1966 in the Republic of Upper Volta (today Burkina Faso ), when following large-scale popular unrest the military intervened against the government, forced President Maurice Yaméogo to resign, and replaced him with Lieutenant Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana . Lamizana would go on to rule until 1980, when yet another military coup d'état overthrew him. The 1966 coup would prove to be

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444-510: The Escadrille d'Hélicoptères . While supervising the ceasefire after the Agacher Strip War , an FABF SA.316B Alouette III crashed at Kouni on 14 January 1986, leaving only one SA.316B still in service with the Escadrille d'Hélicoptères . In 1986, the FABF formed a new unit, the Escadrille de Chasse (EdC) (Attack Unit). In mid-1986 six ex-Philippine Air Force SF.260WP Warrior armed trainers/light strike aircraft were acquired from

481-479: The Escadrille de Transport (Transport Unit), and the Escadrille d'Hélicoptères (Helicopter Unit). Later, the Escadrille d'Entraînement (Training Unit) was added. All squadrons were initially based at Ouagadougou. In mid-1984, Libyan military aid brought eight Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 jet fighters, along with two MiG-21U combat trainer versions. These ex- Libyan Air Force MiG-21 "Fishbed" fighters were based in Ouagadougou , although they were actually operated by

518-528: The Force Aérienne du Burkina Faso , or FABF, was officially inaugurated. The EHV was initially formed with two Douglas C-47 Skytrain and three MH.1521M Broussard aircraft. These were later followed by two Alouette III SA.316 B helicopters, used mostly for liaison purposes, one twin-engined Aero Commander 500 light utility aircraft, two Hawker-Siddeley HS.748-2A twin turboprop transport aircraft, and two Nord 262 twin turboprop transport aircraft. Two escadrilles (squadrons) or sub-formations were created:

555-438: The 1970s as president of military or mixed civil-military governments. After conflict over the 1970 constitution, a new constitution was written and approved in 1977, and Lamizana was reelected by open elections in 1978. Lamizana's government faced problems with the country's traditionally powerful trade unions and on November 25, 1980, Colonel Saye Zerbo overthrew President Lamizana in a bloodless coup. Colonel Zerbo established

592-535: The 3rd Battalion of the Rapid Intervention Brigade committed the Karma massacre , rounding up and executing between 60 and 156 civilians, including women and children. The Army of Burkina Faso ( L'Armée de Terre or LAT – Ground Forces) is a skeletonised force structure of some 5,800–6,000 officers and men, augmented by a conscript force or People's Militia of some 45,000 men and women. Unlike

629-564: The Libyan Air Force on loan by Libya, and were removed in 1985 without seeing combat. A single MiG-17F Fresco that was also operated by the FABF did see combat service in the Agacher Strip War in 1985–86. In 1985, the FABF also acquired two ex-Soviet Mi-4 transport helicopters from an unknown supplier, followed by an additional two Mi-4s. The Mi-4s were operated by the FABF until the late 1980s, when they were taken out of service. Five Mi-8 /17 transport helicopters were later added to

666-535: The Military Committee of Recovery for National Progress as the supreme governmental authority, thus eradicating the 1977 constitution. Colonel Zerbo also encountered resistance from trade unions and was overthrown two years later on November 7, 1982, by Major Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo and the Council of Popular Salvation (CSP). The CSP continued to ban political parties and organisations, yet promised

703-604: The U.S. Embassy has established English-language courses at an LAT military base, and has brought LAT officers to attend officer basic training courses in the U.S. The government of Burkina Faso has also accepted additional U.S. training assistance in counter-terrorism tactics and humanitarian assistance. Burkina Faso has recently become a member of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP). Three years of increasingly frequent and deadly attacks, by various jihadist groups, prompted

740-532: The United States has begun providing military assistance and training to Burkina Faso's ground forces. It has trained three 750-man battalions for peace support operations in Darfur. During a recent UN inspection, a U.S. Department of Defense evaluation team found Burkina's Laafi battalion fit to deploy to Sudan. Using a small Department of Defense International Military Education and Training (IMET) budget,

777-561: The anti-federalism of France and his friend Houphouët-Boigny. He joined the Conseil de l'Entente together with some other pro-French leaders. Additionally, Yaméogo closely supported Israel , becoming the first African leader to visit the country, strongly opposing the Arab Republic of Egypt and Gamal Abdel Nasser . The President's harsh policies, and deeply corrupt state of his administration, made him hugely impopular. In 1964,

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814-558: The creation of a new Africa Command to be established by September 2007, under which future African continental operations would be conducted. TSCTI followed the Pan Sahel Initiative (PSI), which began in 2002 by training soldiers from Mali , Mauritania , Niger and Chad and concluded operations in December 2004. Critics of the initiative have questioned of the extent and presence of Islamic-extremist terrorism in

851-538: The first in a long line of Upper Voltan and later Burkinabé coups, both failed and successful such, and marked the beginning of half a century of military rule. French Upper Volta , a small, landlocked and largely impoverished colony of France had been decolonized in 1960. Maurice Yaméogo, a close ally of the Ivorian President Félix Houphouët-Boigny , created a single-party dictatorship, making his own Voltaic Democratic Union

888-539: The following day officially saw a 100% support and 97.4% turnout in favour of the Voltaic Democratic Union, but in fact mass abstention in protest against the President and his party took place. Another large boycott occurred during the following 5 December municipal elections. On 30 December, following increased economic troubles, the government announced a new austerity budget, massively cutting

925-546: The four newly built SF.260WP aircraft were retained in service, and stationed at Bobo Dioulasso air base. Most of the other light aircraft acquired by the FABF in the 1970s and 1980s have also now been retired along with the Mi-4 helicopters, but some recent acquisitions have been made, including a Beechcraft King Air , a Piper PA-34 Seneca , a CEAPR Robin light training aircraft, and a single Air Tractor AT-802 aerial sprayer aircraft for spraying insecticides, purchased after

962-504: The general strike. Finally, on 3 January, the general strike began. Large groups of protesting workers stormed the ruling party headquarters and the National Assembly. The state of emergency and troop deployments backfired on the government – the rank and file soldiers refused to shoot protesters. Within short, the military leadership stepped in. Lieutenant Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana , the Chief of Staff, seized power. President Maurice Yaméogo

999-523: The government strongly restricted the right of workers to organize and outlawed labour strikes, making the strong trade unions its enemies. In the presidential election the following year Yaméogo was re-elected, with a supposed 100% support and 98.4% turnout. Remarrying a 22-year-old former beauty queen a few weeks after the October election, he received a cool welcome in Ouagadougou returning from their honeymoon on 6 November. The parliamentary election

1036-537: The growth of terrorist organizations in the partner countries. Exercise Flintlock 2005, a joint military exercise first held in June 2005, was the first result of the new program. The Congress approved $ 500 million for the TSCTI over six years to support countries involved in counterterrorism against threats of Al Qaeda operating in central African countries. In February 2007, President George W. Bush also authorized

1073-591: The northern part of the country suffered heavy crop damage from a 2004 invasion of swarming locusts . In 2009, two Xenon Gyroplane autogyros were purchased for use by police and security forces. In late 2005, the FABF acquired two Mil Mi-35 "Hind" attack helicopters from Russia in an apparent response to moves by neighbouring Ivory Coast to bolster its own air attack capabilities during the Ivorian Civil War . 1966 Upper Voltan coup d%27%C3%A9tat [REDACTED] Government Superior Council of

1110-602: The police and security forces, the Army and the People's Militia are organised along Soviet/Chinese models and precepts. The Army is equipped with light wheeled armoured cars, some mounting cannons. The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated in 2011–12 that Burkina Faso had 6,400 personnel in L'Armée de Terre in three military regions, one tank battalion (two tank platoons), five infantry regiments that may be under-strength, and an airborne regiment. Artillery and engineer battalions are also listed. In recent years,

1147-428: The region and the actions and past behavior of some of the partner governments, who may be using the program to gain training, equipment and funds in order to effectively control and repress legitimate democratic movements in member states, or to fuel wars between neighboring African countries. Similar questions were raised about the TSCTI's predecessor, the Pan Sahel Initiative . On October 1, 2008, responsibility

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1184-588: The replacement of the Army Chief of Staff, Sadou Oumarou, appointed three years ago with the same mandate, with General Moise Minoungou on 6 January 2019. There is a multi-national training camp in Loumbila Department , staffed by Czech and Polish instructors. The Air Force was founded in 1964 as the Escadrille de la République de Haute-Volta (EHV) or the Republic of Upper Volta Air Squadron,

1221-545: The salaries of public sector employees and raising taxes. The following day, Denis Yaméogo – Minister of the Interior and Security, and the President's half-brother – used heavy-handed force to break up a meeting of the national labour leadership. As a result, a general strike was called. On 1 January 1966 President Yaméogo declared a state of emergency in the country. On 2 January he deployed troops to all public buildings, and warned government employees against participating in

1258-539: The sole legal political party in the country. Opposition parties, like the African Regroupment Party , were either merged with it or dissolved. Yaméogo's government would come to face charges of neocolonialism , as it aligned closely with the French government. Originally favouring a pan-Africanist policy, in favour of a West African federation, he eventually dropped these policies in favour of

1295-481: Was also formed, with 46 members representing the military, political parties, trade unions, religious leaders, and traditional authorities. In the weeks and months following the coup, the new military regime largely continued the policies of the previous civilian one. While the country would move diplomatically towards the Arab states such as Egypt, Algeria and Saudi Arabia , and away from Israel, this did not indicate

1332-550: Was forced to resign, and was later imprisoned. The following day a new military government was organized, which received the support of the trade unions which ended the general strike. The constitution was suspended and the National Assembly dissolved. A new cabinet was formed with seven military officials and four civilians, the Superior Council of the Armed Forces, with Lamizana at the helm. A Consultative Committee

1369-479: Was freed on August 5, 1970. While in prison, he attempted to take his own life unsuccessfully. The new military government set 1970 as a deadline for the return to civilian governance. Lieutenant Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana – later made Major General – would instead remain President for fourteen years, until his overthrow by Colonel Saye Zerbo on 25 November 1980. Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative The Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP)

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