World

Army backs new Burkina Faso leader

November 1, 2014 6:25 pm

Burkina Faso army chiefs have backed a military officer as interim leader.

In a statement, the army said Lt-Col Isaac Zida was “chosen unanimously to lead the transition period”.

This appears to end confusion over who has succeeded President Blaise Compaore, who stood down amid unrest.

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But opposition groups have called for a mass meeting on Sunday morning in the capital Ouagadougou, warning the military not to hijack the public revolt against Mr Compaore.

“The victory born from this popular uprising belongs to the people, and the task of managing the transition falls by right to the people. In no case can it be confiscated by the army,” they said in a statement.

The BBC’s Thomas Fessy says that in a country where the outgoing president has dominated the political scene for nearly three decades, the opposition is weak.

The turnout at the rally will be a measure of its credibility, our correspondent adds.