Military in Burkina Faso Announces Government Takeover
Military officials in Burkina Faso say interim President Michel Kafando has been stripped of his functions and the government has been dissolved.
The announcement came from Lt. Col. Mamadou Bamba on state-run television Thursday. Bamba said the military has put in place a "national democracy council" to organize new "democratic and inclusive" elections.
Meanwhile in the streets of the capital, Ouagadougou, sporadic shooting rang out, as it had the day before -- the sound of soldiers trying to keep protesters from gathering.
The statement comes a day after members of the presidential guard who support ousted President Blaise Compaore broke into a Cabinet meeting and arrested interim President Kafando, Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac Zida, and other government ministers.
Military officials in Burkina Faso say interim President Michel Kafando has been stripped of his functions and the government has been dissolved.
The announcement came from Lt. Col. Mamadou Bamba on state-run television Thursday. Bamba said the military has put in place a "national democracy council" to organize new "democratic and inclusive" elections.
Meanwhile in the streets of the capital, Ouagadougou, sporadic shooting rang out, as it had the day before -- the sound of soldiers trying to keep protesters from gathering.
The statement comes a day after members of the presidential guard who support ousted President Blaise Compaore broke into a Cabinet meeting and arrested interim President Kafando, Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac Zida, and other government ministers.
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| Streets of the capital, Ouagadougou, sporadic shooting rang out |
The U.N. Security Council unanimously demanded the immediate release of the hostages Wednesday, condemning the detentions in the "strongest terms." Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was outraged and called it a "flagrant violation" of Burkina Faso's constitution.
Witnesses say soldiers put up barricades around the presidential palace. Gunfire erupted several hours later as soldiers backing the kidnappers tried to disperse protesters outside the palace. It is unclear if there are any casualties and the soldiers have not made any demands.
President Compaore was ousted by a popular uprising last October. Burkina Faso has scheduled general elections October 11.
The run-up to the vote has been marked by tension between the interim government and the presidential guard, known as the RSP.
The country's national reconciliation commission called for the breakup of the RSP, which it called "an army within an army."
Witnesses say soldiers put up barricades around the presidential palace. Gunfire erupted several hours later as soldiers backing the kidnappers tried to disperse protesters outside the palace. It is unclear if there are any casualties and the soldiers have not made any demands.
President Compaore was ousted by a popular uprising last October. Burkina Faso has scheduled general elections October 11.
The run-up to the vote has been marked by tension between the interim government and the presidential guard, known as the RSP.
The country's national reconciliation commission called for the breakup of the RSP, which it called "an army within an army."
