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Burkina’s ex-military honcho Diendere emerges from the shadows

The United States has condemned the military takeover in Burkina Faso and called for the restoration of the transitional government guiding the country towards elections October 11.

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“The Republic of China government hopes the incident ends peacefully as soon as possible”, she added.

Mr Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising last year after 27 years in power, and is now in exile.

Burkina Faso hosts French special forces and serves as an important ally of both France and the United States in the fight against Islamic militants in West Africa.

Lt Col Mamadou Bamba announced on television that the coup leaders identified themselves as the National Council for Democracy.

The military’s action also came days after a government committee recommended dissolving the elite military unit, an arm that helped Mr. Compaore stay in power for so long.

General Gilbert Diendere, Compaore’s former chief of staff, was appointed head of a governing council, which announced a nighttime curfew and shut down the borders.

Soldiers yesterday fired warning shots to disperse a crowd of more than 100 people gathered in Independence Square in Ouagadougou to protest against the presidential guard, a witness said.

Wednesday night, the prime minister and president were arrested by soldiers and the presidential palace was barricaded.

The three organisations reaffirmed their full support to the Transition at this critical time, for the conclusion of its mission with the conduct of elections scheduled to hold on October 11, 2015. The coup leaders had been prompted to act by the “serious pre-election security situation”, he said.

In a joint statement, the United Nations , African Union and 15-nation Economic Community of West African States demanded “the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages”.

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“(President François Hollande) calls for the immediate liberation of all those arrested, for the interim authorities to be put back in place and for the continuation of the electoral process”, the French leader’s office said in a statement. “I am conscious of that … everything will be done to avoid violence that could plunge the country into chaos”, Mr. Diendere said on France 24 television.

Image Credit Getty