Burkina Faso’s army seized power on Thursday, while it dissolved the parliament and government to form a transitional body to run the country.
The military’s action followed violent protests which erupted against President Blaise Compaore’s plans to extend his 27-year-rule.
The transitional body will return constitutional order “within 12 months”, army chief Nabere Honore Traore said in a statement read out by an officer at a press conference in the capital Ouagadougou.
“A transitional body will be put in place in consultation with all parties. A return to the constitutional order is expected in no more than 12 months,” according to the statement.
The military also announced a curfew from 7:00 p.m. on Thursday (1900 GMT) to 6:00 a. m. on Friday (0600 GMT).
Massive demonstrations were witnessed on Thursday after the government urged parliamentarians to amend the constitution, which could enable Compaore to run for a third term in 2015.
Protesters on Thursday morning broke into the country’s parliament. Soldiers ransacked parliament building and set it ablaze, before heading toward the public broadcasting station to make a declaration.
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