OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso’s presidential guard on Thursday morning announced the dissolution of the country’s transitional government after arresting interim President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Isaac Zida on Wednesday evening in a military base.
According to a statement read on the country’s national radio and television on Thursday by a member of the presidential guard, General Gilbert Diendere - who is close to former president Blaise Compaore is now ruling the country under a new National Democratic Council, proclaiming a de facto coup.
The CND has also declared a state of emergency and closed the country's borders.
The statement denounced mismanagement of the transitional government and the arrest of former officials from Blaise Compaore’s regime.
The African Union and French President Francois Hollande have strongly condemned the coup.
In a statement, Hollande called “for the immediate release of all those arrested, the reinstallation of the transitional authorities and the resumption of the electoral process.”
This is not the first time that the elite presidential guard units attempt to take power.
Last June, Zida had to divert his plane to Ouagadougou Military Airport as he returned from an official visit to Taiwan to escape being arrested by the presidential guard.
Last year, Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaore bowed to massive street protests calling on him to resign.
Former Burkinabe foreign minister Michel Kafando was then appointed interim president for one year.
Kafando later announced that the presidential and legislative elections, due to complete the country's transition, will take place on Oct. 11.
