Burkinabe Col. Maj. Gilbert Diendere, (photo by Master Sgt. Jeremiah Erickson, U.S. Air Force/Released)
Imprisoned Gen. Gilbert Diendere, who was involved in the failed 2015 coup in Burkina Faso, has been freed by mutinying soldiers, media report.
The authorities of Burkina Faso had imposed a country-wide curfew following riots in the capital and reports about an attempted coup on Sunday.
On twitter, LSI Africa on Monday said Diendere has been freed from his prison cell by mutineers.
Earlier, the media outlet reported that rioters in Burkina Faso were demanding that President Roch Marc Christian Kabore resign and that his family had already left the country.
The Africa Elects polling and election data aggregator said on Twitter that “heavy gunfire” was heard close to the president’s residence in Ouagadougou, as well as in several other districts of the capital city.
In addition, soldier mutinies were also reported in a few barracks not far from the capital.
Radio France Internationale reported that intense gunfire was heard on Sunday morning in two military camps in Burkina Faso’s capital.
One of the camps was where Gen. Diendere was being held. Radio Omega also reported gunfire in the city of Kaya northeast of Ouagadougou.
The government confirmed over the weekend that there was gunfire in Ouagadougou, but denied reports that the military had seized power in the country.
Burkina Faso’s Defense Minister Barthelemy Simpore also dismissed claims that President Kabore had been detained and said that the situation in the country was under control. (Sputnik/NAN)