Indefinite closure imposed on major Ouagadougou mosque

The military-led administration in Burkina Faso has ordered the immediate and indefinite closure of the city’s largest Sunni mosque, citing “risks to public order.” The decision follows days of escalating tension after the arrest of influential Sunni imam and scholar Mohamad Ishaq Kindo by security forces.

Protests erupt, dozens detained

Since the imam’s Tuesday arrest, hundreds of worshippers have gathered daily outside the mosque, demanding his release. Security forces intervened to disperse the crowds, resulting in nearly a hundred arrests. Detainees were reportedly transferred to a Republican Security Corps facility for what authorities described as “civic and citizenship training.” Social media footage—though unverified—appears to show detainees performing military drills and group prayers under armed guard.

Imam’s criticism of new religious law sparks crisis

Mohamad Ishaq Kindo, president of Burkina Faso’s Council of Sunni Scholars, had recently spoken out against a controversial bill aimed at tightening state control over religious freedoms. His arrest coincides with a broader crackdown on dissent under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup.