Burkina Faso interim president set free

The head of the military junta said Friday he had decided to free interim President Michel Kafando after meeting with representatives from the international community.

"I confirm that President Kafando has been freed. He is in good health," General Gilbert Diendere (pictured above) told journalists.

Two government ministers were also released, but Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac Zida remains under house arrest.

Kafando, a former United Nations ambassador, was chosen to lead the country's political transition on an interim basis after longtime President Blaise Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising last October.

Kafando's government had been charged with organizing national elections, set to take place on October 11. But those plans were derailed this week when soldiers loyal to Compaore seized power in a coup and took Kafando captive.

The military announced the dissolution of the transitional government on Thursday and declared Diendere - who for three decades was chief military adviser to Compaore - the new leader. Diendere has since insisted he still wants elections to take place.

"Our wish is to reorganize ourselves and to move towards elections soon," Diendere told news agency AFP.

The junta said it decided to release Kafando after meeting with representatives of the UN, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), France and the United States. The presidents of Senegal and Benin were meanwhile expected in the West African country on behalf of ECOWAS to mediate in the crisis.

International outcry

The coup has been met with fierce criticism from the US, the UN and the European Union. US National Security Adviser Susan Rice warned that Washington would "review our foreign assistance to Burkina Faso in light of evolving events."

"We are deeply disappointed that the self-interested actions of a few are threatening the historic opportunity that the people of Burkina Faso have to cast their ballots and build a new future for the country," she said in a statement.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini urged the junta to "unconditionally" hand power back to civilians. While UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that "those responsible for the coup d'etat and its consequences must be held accountable."

In recent days, scores of demonstrators have flooded the streets of the capital, Ougadougou, to protest against the coup and demand that the planned elections go ahead. At least three people were killed in the violence, although some reports put the death toll as high as 10.

nm/jil (Reuters, AP, dpa)