In 1966 a military coup deposed the first president of Upper Volta, Maurice Yaméogo, then proceeded to suspend the constitution, dissolve the National Assembly, and place Lieutenant Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana at the head of a government of senior army officers.

The army junta remained in power for 4 years; on June 14, 1970, the Voltans ratified a new constitution that established a 4-year transition period toward complete civilian rule.

Colonel Zerbo established the Military Committee of Recovery for National Progress as the supreme governmental authority, thus eradicating the 1977 constitution.

Colonel Zerbo also encountered resistance from trade unions and was overthrown two years later on November 7, 1982, by Major Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo and the Council of Popular Salvation (CSP).

Factional infighting developed between moderates in the CSP and radicals led by Captain Thomas Sankara, who was appointed prime minister in January 1983.

The internal political struggle and Sankara's leftist rhetoric led to his arrest and subsequent efforts to bring about his release, directed by Captain Blaise Compaoré.

[4] On April 29, 2011, the army said the mutiny would end after Compaoré promised to improve the military's housing, clothing and food allowances,[5] though there were later protests by soldiers.

[8] On April 20, 2023, the 3rd Battalion of the Rapid Intervention Brigade committed the Karma massacre, rounding up and executing between 60 and 156 civilians, including women and children.

[13] In recent years, the United States has begun providing military assistance and training to Burkina Faso's ground forces.

During a recent UN inspection, a U.S. Department of Defense evaluation team found Burkina's Laafi battalion fit to deploy to Sudan.

While supervising the ceasefire after the Agacher Strip War, an FABF SA.316B Alouette III crashed at Kouni on 14 January 1986, leaving only one SA.316B still in service with the Escadrille d'Hélicoptères.