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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Burkina Faso leader decamps amid army mutiny |
| 2011-04-16 |
| [The Nation (Nairobi)] Burkina Faso ...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and may be in the process of being chased out now... President Blaise Compaore left the capital Ouagadougou early Friday amid a mutiny by his personal guard that has spread to other barracks, a military source said. Compaore left during the night for his hometown Ziniare, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Ouagadougou, the source said. The mutiny began in the presidential palace grounds late Thursday after new popular protests against Compoare's 24-year-old regime in the landlocked west African country. Small and heavy arms fire, which was clearly audible outside the compound, first came from the barracks of the elite and well-paid presidential guard before spreading to other barracks and military camps, an AFP journalist reported. The guard were protesting the non-payment of a promised housing benefit. The home of General Dominique Diendiere, Compaore's personal chief of staff, was burned down, the AFP journalist said, adding that soldiers looted many consumer goods stores in the capital. |
| Posted by:Fred |