Burkina Faso President Defies Violent 'Coup'

The president is refusing to loosen his 27-year grip on power after protesters storm government buildings, setting them ablaze.

The violence has seen tens of thousands of people take to the streets

Burkina Faso's long-time leader has refused to step down despite violent unrest which saw anti-government protesters set the country's parliament building ablaze.

President Blaise Compaore has appeared on television to confirm he will stay in power as the head of a transitional government until elections are held, defying opposition calls for his immediate resignation.
Opposition leader Benewende Sankara said the president's departure was "non-negotiable" following what he said had amounted to a "coup".

Burkina Faso's parliament was stormed, ransacked and set ablaze

The head of the country's armed forces, General Honore Traore, intervened to dissolve parliament on Thursday after violent protests spread across the country.
Hundreds of people stormed the National Assembly building in the capital Ouagadougou, setting it ablaze, in protest against plans to allow the president to run for a fifth term in office.

 

Video: Thousands Riot In Burkina Faso

Three people were reportedly killed and scores injured in the ensuing chaos, in which tens of thousands of people were reported to have taken to the streets.
Government offices were ransacked, cars set alight and Ouagadougou's national television headquarters attacked.
The city hall and ruling party headquarters were in flames and the city's airport was closed.
Crowds at the presidential palace have been held back by troops from the presidential guard, who fired warning shots into the air.
Protests have been reported in a number of towns across the country, including Burkina Faso's second-largest city Bobo Dioulasso.
News agency AFP put the death toll as high as 30 people nationwide.

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    Deadly Violence In Burkina Faso Protests

   Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Burkina Faso forcing President Blaise Compaore to scrap a plan to extend his 27-year rule
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    Deadly Violence In Burkina Faso Protests
    Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Burkina Faso forcing President Blaise Compaore to scrap a plan to extend his 27-year rule

 

The riots took place just before the country's politicians were due to vote on a law that would allow President Compaore, who took power in the coup of 1987, to run for election next year.
With a very young population - 60% are aged under 25 - many of the country's 17 million citizens have spent their entire lives under the rule of Mr Compaore.
Constitutional limits were brought in during 2005 and Mr Compaore, who has already been re-elected four times, is coming to the end of his second five-year term. The other two terms were for seven years.
The vote, which has since been scrapped, could have allowed him to stay in power for another 15 years.
President Compaore said elections would now be held within 12 months and he was open to discussions with other parties over forming a unity transitional government.