Elite Troops Declare Burkina Faso Coup

Local Editor

Burkina Faso's presidential guard declared a coup Thursday a day after seizing the interim president and senior government members, as the country geared up for its first elections since the overthrow of longtime leader Blaise Compaore.

Lieutenant-Colonel Mamadou Bamba appeared on national television to declare that a new "National Democratic Council" had put an end "to the deviant regime of transition" in the West African state.

Announcing the coup, Bamba said that "wide-ranging talks" were being held to form a government leading to "inclusive and peaceful elections."

Presidential guard members linked to ex-leader Compaore had burst into a cabinet meeting Wednesday and seized acting president Michel Kafando, prime Minister Isaac Zida and two ministers.

Zida was himself once an officer in Compaore's powerful Presidential Security Regiment [RSP], before he toppled his old boss after days of street protests in October 2014.

Shots could still be heard Thursday in the capital Ouagadougou after the arrest of the nation's transitional leaders triggered immediate street protests outside the presidential palace where they were being held.

Revolution Square -- the epicenter of protests against Compaore -- was empty apart from military patrols, with the streets of the capital also deserted.

Interim parliament speaker Cheriff Sy denounced what he said was a "coup d'Etat", and in an interview with RFI radio Thursday called on the people to "immediately rise up".
International condemnation was swift, with the United Nations Security Council and the European Union, one of the main donors to the poverty-stricken country, demanding the immediate release of the country's transitional leaders, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressing his outrage.

Furthermore, President Francois Hollande of France -- the former colonial power -- joined the chorus of disapproval, calling for political order "to be restored".

In a joint statement, the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS] demanded "the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages".

Ban Ki-moon also said he was "outraged" by the developments. "This incident is a flagrant violation of Burkina Faso's constitution and transitional charter," he said.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team