Burkina Faso: Army enters capital to disarm coup leaders
Burkina Faso soldiers marched into the capital Ouagadougou without resistance late on Monday as army leaders began surrender talks with the elite presidential guard that staged a coup against the government last week.
Burkina Faso had been preparing to head to polls on Oct. 11 for a vote aimed at restoring democracy after last year’s overthrow of longtime leader Blaise Compaore when the 1,200-member unit took the interim president and several cabinet ministers hostage on Wednesday.
Military convoys from regional centers drove towards the capital Ouagadougou on Monday, cheered along by residents opposed to last week’s military coup. Some units entered the city center while others remained on guard at strategic entry points, residents said.