IVORY COAST:Ivory Coast's army chief encouraged a coup leader in neighboring Burkina Faso during his failed bid to seize power last year

Boguhé Zalou

Source: ReutersNews

Ivory Coast's army chief encouraged a coup leader in neighboring Burkina Faso during his failed bid to seize power last year, according to a recording of a conversation in the hands of Burkina Faso judicial authorities.

The recording's emergence comes after Burkina Faso issued an arrest warrant for Ivory Coast's parliament speaker Guillaume Soro for alleged links to the coup, further straining relations between the two West African neighbors.

Burkina Faso authorities issued the warrant against Soro for crimes including complicity in treason last week on the basis of another recorded phone conversation.

Recorded at a time when loyalist troops were turning the tables against the putsch, a voice allegedly belonging to Ivory Coast military chief of staff General Soumaila Bakayoko asks coup leader General Gilbert Diendere for an update of the situation.

"The situation is a bit difficult," Diendere responds. "Among the officers there is some hesitation. I'm not saying I'm all alone. But many are very hesitant for their future."

Later, Bakayoko urges Diendere to go on the offensive or risk seeing the coup fail.

"They're going to pin it all on you. You have to know that. Politically, they are going to say 'You have the highest rank. You are the general," Bakayoko says.

"You are constrained to take action. So carry out something good."

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