Burkina Faso’s coup leader says he will abide by a deal reached with top African mediators, but warned his men would defend themselves if attacked after the army entered the capital.
General Gilbert Diendere on Tuesday called for troops who entered Ouagadougou overnight seeking a surrender by his elite army unit to leave the city, the AFP news agency reported.
“We do not want to fight but ultimately we will defend ourselves,” Diendere warned, nearly a week after his men detained the interim leaders who had been running the country since a popular uprising deposed iron-fisted president Blaise Compaore last October.
Earlier in the day, troops loyal to Burkina Faso’s deposed government said they were preparing to attack the Camp Naaba military base near the capital’s presidential palace, which is held by troops who staged a coup last week.
Loyalist troops have been massing in the capital on Tuesday and have told those behind the coup, which derailed a democratic transition process, to disarm and surrender by 10am (10:00 GMT) or face attack.
As the deadline expired, the ex-spy chief Diendere held a press conference, saying he was still in charge and that he was awaiting the outcome of a ECOWAS summit in Abuja, Nigeria, where African leaders were discussing developments in Burkina Faso.
“I’m not stalling for time. I’m within the time alotted to me,” he told a news conference, reiterating that he was still president of the National Democratic Council, as his group is known.
General Gilbert Diendere on Tuesday called for troops who entered Ouagadougou overnight seeking a surrender by his elite army unit to leave the city, the AFP news agency reported.
“We do not want to fight but ultimately we will defend ourselves,” Diendere warned, nearly a week after his men detained the interim leaders who had been running the country since a popular uprising deposed iron-fisted president Blaise Compaore last October.
Earlier in the day, troops loyal to Burkina Faso’s deposed government said they were preparing to attack the Camp Naaba military base near the capital’s presidential palace, which is held by troops who staged a coup last week.
Loyalist troops have been massing in the capital on Tuesday and have told those behind the coup, which derailed a democratic transition process, to disarm and surrender by 10am (10:00 GMT) or face attack.
As the deadline expired, the ex-spy chief Diendere held a press conference, saying he was still in charge and that he was awaiting the outcome of a ECOWAS summit in Abuja, Nigeria, where African leaders were discussing developments in Burkina Faso.
“I’m not stalling for time. I’m within the time alotted to me,” he told a news conference, reiterating that he was still president of the National Democratic Council, as his group is known.