The military in Burkina Faso has taken to the airwaves to declare it now controls the country, confirming that a coup has taken place – just weeks before national elections. A new “national democratic council” had taken control to end the “deviant regime”, Lt-Col Mamadou Bamba said on state television.
The statement came a day after members of the elite presidential guard unit of the military arrested the transitional president and prime minister. Burkina Faso was due to hold elections on October 11 that many hoped would strengthen democracy.
The transitional government came to power after the president of 27 years, Blaise Compaore, was toppled late last year in a public uprising.
