Burkina Faso junta leader sacks police chief

Burkina Faso’s interim leader has replaced the head of the country’s paramilitary police, more than a week after the ruling junta said it had averted a coup attempt.

Ibrahim Traoré on Wednesday appointed Lt Col Kouagri Natama to replace Lt Col Evrard Somda, who had led the national gendarmerie since last year.

Mr Traoré also changed the officers charged with managing logistics and equipment within the Burkinabe army and the gendarmerie.

Last week, Burkina Faso’s junta arrested four police officers on suspicion that they participated in a “plot against state security”.

According to the French-language news publication Jeune Afrique, two of the detained police officers worked under the national gendarmerie and were Mr Somda's close associates.

His replacement previously led the police in the northern Kaya region, where Mr Traore's unit was stationed.