BURKINA FASO – MUTINOUS SOLDIERS IN OUAGADOUGOU DETAIN PRESIDENT KABORE.

President of Burkina Faso, Roch Christian Kabore is reported to have been detained by mutinous soldiers, as uneasy calm reigns in the capital, Ouagadougou, a day after heavy gunfire was heard.

The President’s bullet-ridden armored official sports utility vehicle has been seen abandoned on the street.

Only on Sunday night, he tweeted congratulations to the national team which qualified for the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations, AFCON via a 7-6 penalty victory over Gabon, after a one-all stalemate at the end of regulation and extra time.

Since then, he has not been seen or heard from.

Top government officials are said to have been detained along with him at a military barracks in the capital.

The state television station has been off-air since Monday and is surrounded by soldiers, who have been demanding better welfare and weaponry to tackle Islamist groups that have killed troops and civilians in the last few months.

In November, at least 53 persons, most of whom were members of the security forces were killed in towns near the border with Mali.

There were protests in the capital’s major square on Sunday in support of the mutinous troops with some of them demanding the resignation of the President for what they called his inability to deal with the insecurity challenges. The ruling party’s headquarters was also vandalised on Sunday by protesters.

Eight soldiers were arrested last week for allegedly plotting a coup.

(Additional Information from the BBC)

Editor: Terverr Tyav