[caption id="attachment_13231" align="alignnone" width="600"] Blaise Compaore: ousted by army [/caption] Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore was toppled on Thursday as the army took power after protesters set parliament ablaze in a popular uprising against the veteran leader's 27-year-rule. Around 30 people were killed and more than 100 injured in violence that rocked that rocked the country, the leading opposition figure Benewende Sankara said. It was not clear if the toll related to the whole of the country or just the capital Ouagadougou, where protesters burned down parliament in an uprising against the 27-year rule of President Blaise Compaore. The demonstrators earlier forced the government to scrap a vote on controversial plans to allow Compaore to extend his reign, with tens of thousands of people joining a mass rally in the capital Ouagadougou calling for the strongman to go. Hundreds of people stormed parliament and other public buildings including the national television headquarters, ransacking offices and setting fire to cars, despite a heavy police and army presence across the capital. The army, in a hastily arranged press conference, announced it was seizing power and pledged to restore constitutional order within 12 months. It imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and announced the dissolution of Compaore's government and the national assembly, and the creation of a transitional body to run the country. The communique, read out by an officer, was signed by the army chief of staff Nabere Honore Traore. There was no mention of Compaore's whereabouts. Earlier a statement purportedly from the presidency said a state of emergency had been declared. "The army chief of staff is charged with carrying out this decree, which enters into force from this day," it said. The document was not dated and carried a signature that did not resemble the president's usual one. Later from his hideout, Compaore said in a televised speech that he was not resigning and was open to talks about a transition of power. He gave the broadcast after the army dissolved the government and parliament following violent protests against the veteran leader. "I have heard the message," Compaore said, adding that he was "available" for talks on "a period of transition after which power will be transferred to a democratically elected president". He added that he was cancelling a state of emergency declared hours earlier. The opposition meanwhile said the army's seizure of power amounted to a "coup", adding that they consider the president's departure "non-negotiable". President Blaise Compaore, who has ruled the country for 27 years, "is again in the process of duping the people," said opposition leader Benewende Sankara. "We have been saying for a long time that he must hand in his resignation. His departure is non-negotiable The United States, Burkina Faso's former colonial ruler France and the African Union all voiced alarm over the unrest gripping the poor west African nation. UN chief Ban Ki-moon dispatched a special envoy to help restore calm and the European Union called for an end to the violence. "The army is united with the people," said Benewende Sankara, a leading light in the opposition. Army chief Traore had earlier met with retired general Kouame Lougue, a former defence minister being touted by the opposition as a replacement for Compaore, to discuss the crisis. Tens of thousands of protesters massed on the streets of the capital shouting "Lougue in power!" - Worst crisis since 2011 - The chaos erupted just before lawmakers were due to vote on legislation that would allow 63-year-old Compaore -- who took power in a 1987 coup -- to contest next year's election, AFP correspondents said. The government, in the country's worst crisis since a wave of mutinies shook the country in 2011, later announced it was calling off the vote. Police and soldiers, out in force after mass rallies earlier this week, failed to stop the onslaught despite using tear gas against the protesters. Black smoke billowed out of smashed windows at the parliament building, where several offices were ravaged by flames, although the main chamber so far appeared to be unscathed. Several hundred protesters also broke into the headquarters of the national television station RTB, pillaging equipment and smashing cars, correspondents said. Crowds of people later massed near the presidential palace but were being held back by troops from the presidential guard who fired warning shots into the air. The ruling party headquarters in the second city of Bobo Dioulasso and the city hall was also torched by protesters, witnesses said. The United States said it was "deeply concerned" about the crisis and criticised the attempts to alter the constitution, while France appealed for calm and said it "deplored" the violence. Senegal meanwhile advised its citizens in Burkina Faso to stay indoors. - Anger at 'constitutional coup' - The legislature had been due to examine a proposed amendment that would allow Compaore to run for re-election in November 2015. His bid to cling to power has angered many, including young people in a country where 60 percent of the population of almost 17 million is under 25. Many have spent their entire lives under the leadership of one man and -- with Burkina Faso stagnating at 183rd out of 186 countries on the UN human development index -- many have had enough. The situation is being closely watched across Africa where at least four heads of state are preparing or considering similar changes to stay in power, from Burundi to Benin. Compaore was only 36 when he seized power in the coup in which his former friend and one of Africa's most loved leaders, Thomas Sankara, was ousted and assassinated. He has remained in power since, re-elected president four times since 1991 -- to two seven-year and two five-year terms. Known in colonial times as Upper Volta, the landlocked country became independent from France in 1960 and its name was changed to Burkina Faso ("the land of upright men") in 1984. * Key dates in Burkina Faso after President Blaise Compaore, who seized power in 1987, was toppled on Thursday and the army took power. Compaore served two seven-year terms before a change to the constitution allowed him to serve another two five-year terms. He had been seeking to amend the constitution to be able to run for re-election once again in 2015. - October 15, 1987: Compaore seizes power in a coup in which his former friend and one of Africa's most loved leaders, Thomas Sankara, is ousted and assassinated. Compaore quickly launches a "rectification" of Sankara's "democratic, popular revolution", that include the execution of two other comrades in arms accused of plotting yet another coup. - June 2, 1991: A new constitution establishes a multi-party system and brings an end to 11 years of military rule. - December 1, 1991: Compaore is elected president, but the vote is marked by an opposition boycott. - November, 15, 1998: Compaore is re-elected at a vote marked by another opposition boycott. - December 13, 1998: The bodies of journalist Norbert Zongo and three others are found in a burned vehicle as he investigated a murder that might have had links to Compaore's brother Francois. An unprecedented political and social crisis ensues. - April 11, 2000: Deputies modify the constitution to give the president a five-year mandate, renewable once. In 1997, deputies had approved an unlimited number of seven-year terms. - October 7, 2003: Authorities say they have foiled an attempted coup. Togo and Ivory Coast are suspected of involvement, but deny links with the putschists. - December 20-21, 2006: Clashes between police and soldiers in which five are killed and several dozen injured in the capital. - February and March 2008: Violent demonstrations erupt against the high cost of living. - November 21, 2010: Compaore wins the presidential election at the first round. Opposition candidates reject the outcome and denounce "serious irregularities". - March-June 2011: Protests break out over high food prices, unemployment, rising costs and looting by troops. Soldiers and paramilitary police join the unrest in April, going on the rampage in several towns. Compaore is forced to leave the capital for a short time, and then names himself defence minister. - January 2, 2013: Compaore forms a new government, keeping the role of defence minister. - December 12, 2013: Compaore mentions plans for a referendum on changes to Article 37 of the constitution, which limits presidential mandates to two. Opposition figures accuse him of preparing a "constitutional coup". - October 21, 2014: The government announces a referendum on the constitutional change, which would allow Compaore to stand in the November 2015 presidential election. - October 28, 2014: Hundreds of thousands -- one million according to the opposition -- take to the streets to denounce the plans. - October 30, 2014: Burkina's army seizes power, with the head of the armed forces announcing the dissolution of government and parliament and the creation of a transitional body to run the country after violent protests against Compaore's 27-year-rule. The emergency measures come after demonstrators set fire to the parliament and other buildings, forcing the government to scrap the vote on extending Compaore's rule. At least one man is killed in the chaos. The army later orders a dusk-to-dawn curfew.