Burkina Faso President resigns; military now in charge
Paris, October 31, AZERTACBurkina Faso's military chief is now the head of state of the West African nation, after unrest that led to the resignation of President Blaise Compaore.
Gen. Honore Nabere Traore, the head of Burkina Faso's military, said Friday that he has taken over presidential duties and that he will lead the country through a political transition and elections.
Faced with violent protests demanding an end to his 27-year rule, Compaore initially dissolved the government but said he would stay in power until elections could be carried out.
He changed his mind, and on Friday announced his resignation. Compaore said he stepped down to preserve peace in the country.
The new man in charge, Traore, appealed for calm and called for a return to a normal constitutional process. Security forces, including the military, will continue to maintain order and safety in the country, Traore added.
Upon his resignation, Compaore appealed via Twitter for "free elections to be held in Burkina Faso within 90 days at the most."
France, the former colonial ruler of what is today Burkina Faso, welcomed the President's resignation and called for elections to happen quickly.
Unrest has gripped Burkina Faso -- a key partner for Western countries in the campaign against Islamist militants -- since protests against Compaore's government turned violent Thursday.
Demonstrators stormed parliament, setting fire to the building.
Compaore had been in office since he took power after a bloody coup in 1987.
The opposition had called for Compaore's immediate resignation. In Bobo-Dioulasso, the country's second-largest city, protesters reportedly tore down a statue of Compaore.
The incident followed reports of protesters storming the parliament building, where lawmakers were set to vote on a motion to allow Compaore to extend his time in power.
The West, particularly France, considers Burkina Faso a key ally in the fight against al Qaeda. The country was formerly known as the Republic of Upper Volta when it was established in 1958 as a self-governing colony under France.
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