Burkina Faso coup leaders free president, detain PM

After keeping him incommunicado for a reason best known to them and raising fear about his safety, Burkina Faso interim president, Michel Kafando, has been freed and is in good health, according to the coup leaders.

However, Prime Minister Isaac Zida, who was also detained when the presidential guard stormed a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, remains under house arrest.

The coup leaders have agreed to the “principle of dialogue”, as two West African leaders arrive to mediate.

Read also: Attempted coup in Burkina Faso

The US, France and the African Union (AU) have condemned the takeover in the former French colony.

At least three people have died in protests in the capital, Ouagadougou, after an ally of ex-President Blaise Compaore was named leader on Thursday.

The influential Balai Citoyen civil society group has put the number of people who have died in demonstrations against the presidential guard (RSP) at 10.

An unknown number of protesters have also been detained.

Some protesters were out on the streets again on Friday burning tyres and erecting blockades.

The BBC’s Laeila Adjovi in Ouagadougou says demonstrators gathered around the airport for the arrival of a delegation from the regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

This includes Senegal’s President Macky Sall, the current Ecowas chair, and Benin’s leader Thomas Boni Yayi.

Ahead of their arrival, the air and land borders were officially re-opened.

According to the Reuters news agency, security forces again fired in the air on Friday to disperse demonstrators who burned tyres and blocked streets in the city.

Elections were due to be held in the West African nation on 11 October, nearly a year after a popular uprising forced Compaore, the long-time ruler of the West African country, from power.

Coup leader Gen Gilbert Diendere, who was Compaore’s former chief-of-staff, told reporters that Mr Kafando was now in his official residence.

He was reportedly freed on Thursday but has not yet been seen in public.

Two other ministers have also been released, the coup leaders said.

The decision to free them was made “as a sign of easing tensions and in the general interest”, a statement read on national television said.

Prime Minister Zida was the army officer who took charge after Compaore was ousted.

The lieutenant colonel was number two in the RSP, where he may still hold influence, which explains his continued detention, says BBC Afrique’s Lamine Konkobo

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