President Ibrahim Traore recently signed several decrees reorganizing the army, which include securing air bases for its operations.
The new air bases have been created within the Burkina Faso air force, notably in Fada N’Gourma (East) and Kaya (Centre-North), regions hard hit by terrorism.
The base in Fada N’Gourma is called Air Base 111 (BA 111) and the one in Kaya is called Air Base 134 (BA 134).
The two bases will be in charge of “the operational preparation of personnel and equipment capable of participating in the execution of missions devolved to the air force,” the presidential decrees said.
They will be commanded by officers of the air force, appointed by President Captain Ibrahim Traore.
They will be assisted by second-in-command.
The creation of these two bases brings to four the number of air bases, one in Ouagadougou and the other in Bobo-Dioulasso.
Captain Traoré signed two other decrees appointing officers.
The first appointed Colonel Major Célestin Simporé as Commander of National Theatre Operations (COTN).
Until then, he was Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces.
He replaces Lieutenant-Colonel Yves Bamouni, who was reputedly close to the deposed president Paul-Henri Damiba.
As for the second, it concerns the appointment of Colonel Céleste Coulibaly, commander of the Integrated Operations Centre.
A former aide-de-camp to President Blaise Compaoré, he was appointed last March as head of the Operations Division.
Since taking power at the end of September 2022, President Traoré has appointed his relatives to several positions of responsibility within the army.
DS/te/lb/as/APA