Former President of the transitional government of Burkina Faso, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, and 14 other officers have been expelled from the armed forces of Burkina Faso, according to a decree signed by the head of state, Ibrahim Traore.

“[Damiba] was expelled from the national armed forces for an offence considered particularly grave, including serious attacks on the military dignity and reputation of the country, characterized by intelligence activities in favor of a foreign power and terrorists with the aim of facilitating their plans to establish control over Burkina Faso.”

In addition to the former president, those dismissed include the former chief of staff of the National Gendarmerie Evrard Somda, the former commander of operations on the national front Bamouni Yves Didier, the former military prosecutor of the military court of Ouagadougou Pousbillah Alphonse Zorma and others.

Most of them were in custody on charges of conspiracy against state security.