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L'annonce
vient d'être faite. COUP D'ÉTAT AU #BURKINA FASO. (Image
source: Gue Amelie o Twitter)
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Hopes for the completion
of a democratic transition in the West African state of Burkina Faso were
derailed on Thursday with a coup by army officers loyal to the strongman ousted
last year in a rare case in sub-Saharan Africa of street power toppling a
president. After
members of the 1,300-strong elite Republican Guard—a holdover from President
Blaise Compaoré's regime—nabbed interim President Michel Kafando and other
officials during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, an unnamed officer appeared on
state television on Thursday morning to formalize the military takeover.
Maggie
Fick of Financial Times reports:
The
uniformed officer said the coup-makers from Republican Guard, believed by
analysts to be no more than 1,300 strong, had formed a "national
democratic council" to organize "democratic and inclusive
elections" but did not give a date. On the streets outside the palace on
Thursday morning, soldiers fired warning shots to disperse a small crowd
decrying the removal of the interim government, Reuters reported. Sporadic
gunfire was heard in other parts of the capital.
Elections
had been scheduled for October 11, but the official who appeared on TV said the
transition process since Mr Compaore left power last October had alienated his
supporters.
In a statement, the French
government strongly condemned the coup and called for the immediate release of
prisoners and the restart of electoral processes under the toppled transitional
government.
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