Burkina Faso president resigns on guaranteed safety condition

• Burkina Faso’s self-declared military leader Captain Ibrahim Traore accepts president’s resignation.
• President Paul-Henri Damiba deposed in coup on Friday.
• Traore will continue to act as president until a transitional civilian or military president is designated in the coming weeks.

Captain Ibrahim Traore, the self-proclaimed military leader of Burkina Faso, has accepted President Paul-Henri Damiba’s conditional resignation in order to avoid further violence following Friday’s coup, religious and traditional leaders said on Sunday.

Traore agreed to seven conditions in the deal, which was announced at a press conference, including ensuring Damiba’s safety and the security of soldiers who had backed him.

He also agreed to keep promises made to the West African regional bloc to restore constitutional rule in Burkina Faso by July 2024.

Damiba was unavailable for comment. According to a close family member, he left the country on Sunday.

Traore previously stated that order was being restored following violent protests against the French embassy and days of fighting as his faction sought to destabilise the government.

As the influence of former colonial power France fades, schisms have emerged within the army, with many soldiers appearing to seek Russian support.

On Saturday and Sunday, at least three separate videos circulated online showing soldiers atop armoured personnel carriers waving Russian flags as a crowd chanted “Russia! Russia!” The videos have not been verified by Reuters.

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Traore’s team urged people to stop attacking the French embassy after an officer said France had sheltered Damiba at a French military base in the West African country and that he was planning a counter-offensive.

Following Damiba’s ouster on Friday, the French foreign ministry denied that the base had hosted him. Damiba also denied being at the base, claiming that the reports were a deliberate skewed of public opinion.

“We want to reassure the public that the situation has been brought under control and that order is being restored,” an army officer said in a statement broadcast on national television.

According to another statement, Traore will continue to serve as president until a transitional civilian or military president is named in the coming weeks.

After sporadic gunfire across the capital on Saturday between opposing army factions, Ouagadougou was mostly calm on Sunday.

“We invite you to continue your activities and refrain from all acts of violence and vandalism… particularly against the French embassy and the French military base,” Traore’s loyal officer said, urging people to stay calm.

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