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France' s Hollande urges immediate release of Burkina Faso leaders, resume election process

Xinhua, September 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

French President Francois Hollande on Thursday called for immediate release of Burkina Faso president, his prime minister and other officials held by presidential guards in a military coup.

"Hollande strongly condemns the coup in Burkina Faso. He calls for immediate release of all who are arrested, resetting transitional authorities and resumption of the electoral process," his office said in a statement.

Soldiers of the presidential guard unit, on Wednesday, arrested interim President Michel Kafando, Prime Minister Lieutenant-Colonel Yacouba Isaac Zida and members of the cabinet before taking over power in the West African country.

The guards loyal to former president Blaise Compaore, ousted by popular uprising in October 2014, were considered as the best trained unit in Burkina Faso.

Their military coup came weeks before presidential election scheduled for Oct. 11. Endit