The leader of the Burkina Faso junta which ousted President Roch Kabore, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba has promised a return to the civilian constitutional rule, but did not give a specific time frame.
In his first national televised speech since seizing power, the latest military strong man in West Africa blamed Kabore for failing to deal decisively with Islamist militants who have killed at least two thousand civilians and scores of security personnel in the last two years.
Lt-Col Damiba said the fight against jihadists would be his priority and promised to recapture rural areas, allowing the 1.5 million people who have fled their homes to return.
Before seizing power, the new military ruler had been at the forefront lines fighting Islamists.
His comments come on the eve of an emergency of the West African sub-regional group, ECOWAS summoned over the coup in the landlocked country.
Lt-Col Damiba said he will meet representatives of various sections of society to agree on a roadmap for reform, but conceded that in view of the wide condemnations of the coup, the country needed more external support to tackle its challenges.
“I call on the international community to support our country so it can exit this crisis as soon as possible”.
The presence of French troops in the country, just as in other former colonies, is getting more unpopular.
In neighbouring Mali, the junta which overthrew the now late Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has already turned to Russia to fill the vacuum, sparking a bitter row with France.
Reports are that a group of Russian mercenaries has offered its services to Burkina Faso’s new leaders to help tackle the
deteriorating security situation.
(Editor, Omor Bazuaye)
(Additional information from the BBC)
