Burkina Faso's parliament speaker dissolves presidential guard

The head of Burkina Faso’s transitional parliament, who has declared himself the West African nation’s interim leader, issued a decree on Tuesday dissolving the elite presidential guard, which carried out a coup last week.

“The interim president of the transition ... decrees ... the Presidential Security Regiment is dissolved,” read the decree signed by Moumina Cheriff Sy.

Earlier, the leader of a coup in Burkina Faso had said he was still in charge despite the passing of a deadline set by loyalist soldiers for his forces to surrender or face attack.

General Gilbert Diendere, who seized power last week, said he was ready to negotiate but awaited the outcome of a summit of West African regional leaders being held in Nigeria.

“I’m not stalling for time. I’m within the time allotted to me,” he told a news conference. “I am still the president of the National Democratic Council (junta).”

Few people ventured out on to the streets of the capital as the deadline set for 10am passed. Presidential guard forces loyal to Diendere held the presidential palace but troops opposing the coup held most other strategic points. Loyalist troops said they were preparing to attack the Camp Naba Koom military base near the capital’s presidential palace, which is held by presidential guard troops who staged the coup. A separate loyalist source said talks had restarted and the aim was to avoid violence.

The coup derailed a transition in Burkina Faso, which had been preparing for an election on October 11th. That vote aimed to restore democracy nearly a year after an uprising toppled President Blaise Compaore who held power for 27 years in the landlocked West African country.

In one apparent olive branch, the coup leaders released interim prime minister Yacouba Isaac Zida, who had been held hostage since the revolt began, his adviser and another loyalist officer told Reuters.

Ex-spy chief Diendere and his presidential guard rebelled last Wednesday, raiding a cabinet meeting and detaining the president and other ministers.

After the coup, crowds took to the streets of the capital and other cities, calling on the rebels to end their revolt.

– Reuters