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Burkina Faso braced for protests after army seizes power

Opposition parties in Burkina Faso have rejected the military's disputed bids to seize power and confirmed they will stage protests tomorrow following large unrest in the West African country.

The country's top military officials have thrown their support behind presidential guard Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida as leader of a transitional government, sidelining an earlier bid by head of the army General Honore Traore, after Blaise Comparore resigned from his presidency.

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Opposition parties to protest Burkina Faso army move

Opposition parties in Burkina Faso have rejected the military's disputed bids to seize power and confirmed they will stage protests tomorrow.

Burkina Faso's military backed presidential guard officer Isaac Zida, centre, to take power, overruling General Honore Traore's claim to lead the transitional government. Credit: Reuters-Joe Penney

Burkina Faso's military chief General Honore Traore initially announced he had taken over as the West African nation's head of state from President Blaise Compaore following his reported resignation on Friday.

The country's top military officials have since thrown their support behind presidential guard Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida as leader of a transitional government, sidelining General Traore.

But a coalition of Burkina Faso's opposition parties and civil society organisations confirmed they would take to the streets to dispute the takeover.

The political opposition and civil society organisations reaffirm that the victory from the popular uprising - and consequently the management of the transition - belongs to the people and should not in any way be confiscated by the army. Our consultation reaffirmed that this transition should be democratic and civilian in character.

– Burkina Faso's opposition parties and civil society organisations
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Burkina Faso braced for protests after army seizes power

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