In Burkina Faso, a supposedly thwarted coup is a stark indicator of the junta's failure to maintain stability and resolve underlying grievances that will raise the risk of other coup attempts and provide possible inroads for more Russian influence. On Sept. 27, the Burkinabe junta issued a statement claiming it had successfully thwarted a coup launched by other members of the military the day before. According to an official statement, the perpetrators of the attempted coup are now in custody, while efforts are underway to apprehend others involved. The announcement comes days after rumors surfaced on social media that several members of the military tried to overthrow Burkina Faso's interim president Ibrahim Traore. It's unclear whether the junta's claims are legitimate, as Traore's military government could be using an attempted coup as an excuse to further consolidate its political power by arresting would-be dissenters. Earlier in September, a separate group...
