Madar (Ouagadougou) - Burkina Faso's national armed forces marked the 66th anniversary of their creation on Sunday, 1 November 2026, with an official ceremony at Revolution Square in Ouagadougou that included a military parade and the award of decorations, leFaso.net reported.
War and Patriotic Defence Minister Gen. Celestin Simpore said more than 86,000 people had registered for the military reserve "in less than a month", against a target of 100,000 reservists by the end of 2026. "It proves that the people have understood the full scope of the fight" led by the head of state, he said.
The minister said he was confident about the course of the fight against terrorism, saying the forces engaged "have now gained the upper hand over the enemy" and that "the enemy is in disarray". He paid tribute to soldiers killed in the campaign to restore the country's territorial integrity.
In all, 56 people received decorations, including 8 military honour medals, 24 military medals, 5 combatant's crosses and 4 honour medals for Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP). After the ceremony, military commanders visited wounded soldiers at the Sangoule-Lamizana camp.
In a message published by the presidency, Capt. Ibrahim Traore praised the army's "resilience" and "determination", saying he was proud of those "building an endogenous and modern army". He said the entry into force of the military reserve makes national defence "a duty for the whole nation" rather than for a single institution.
This year's celebration was held under the theme "National armed forces and military reserve for a sovereign defence of the homeland", in the presence of the president of the Legislative Assembly of the People, representing the head of state, as well as government members and heads of institutions.
