Burkina Faso president back in power 1 week after coup

Burkina Faso’s President Michel Kafando said he and his government were back in power on Wednesday a week after a coup, though it was unclear who was really in charge after the rebellion’s leader attended a state function.

The first head of state to arrive in the Burkinabe capital was the president of Niger, Issoufou Mahammoudou at around 8.45am.

The leaders were also present to oversee negotiations on several unresolved questions: including whether those who launched the coup, including Gen. Gilbert Diendere, would face prosecution or be granted amnesty. At the meeting, the leaders agreed to send a delegation to Burkina Faso to quicken resolution of the political impasse in the country.

But coup leader General Gilbert Diendere, head of the powerful RSP presidential guard regiment, called for the regular army to go. Elections were to have been held next month, but Diendere, who led the presidential guard under Compaore and was an adviser to him, has said that’s too early.

Interim President Kafando retook his seat in governmnet today, after reaching a deal with coup leaders Tuesday evening.

The coup, punctuated with gunfire Wednesday in the streets of Ouagadougou, capital of the West African country, comes just weeks before October 11 elections aimed at replacing a transitional government, the BBC reports.

In a statement, the Speaker of Interim Parliament Moumina Cheriff SY called on “all patriots to come out and defend our mother-land”, before adding that “we have to carry out this assignment because Burkina Faso is in danger”. On Wednesday night, soldiers stormed into one local radio station which was covering protests by youths heading towards the Presidential Palace where Interim President Michel Kafando, Prime Minister Yacoub Isaac Zida and ministers were being held, disrupted the broadcast and burnt some materials.

French President Francois Hollande said he strongly condemned the coup “because an electoral process was under way” but said France “will not intervene militarily”.

“During this ordeal, we have fought together and in freedom we triumph together”, Kafando said, according to The Associated Press.

The 1,300-strong presidential guard has been known for its loyalty to Compaore whose supporters have been banned from contesting the elections set for October 11.