Ghana condemns Burkina Faso coup
The Government of Ghana has condemned the the coup in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
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Presidential guard officers in Burkina Faso on Thursday seized power in a coup, with reports of more than 10 deaths amid protests in the capital, Ouagadougou the BBC reported.
A close ally of former President Blaise Compaore has been named the country's new leader, the Burkina Faso's state television reported.
The US, France and the African Union (AU) have all condemned the coup in the former French colony. Those killed were said to have been shot dead by presidential guard forces in the capital, a civil society group said.
A statement signed by Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Hannah Tetteh said Ghana has followed with grave concern the events unfolding in "our sister country Burkina Faso from Wednesday 16th September, 2015 and the tension created due to the destabilisation of the transitional process."
"The Government of Ghana condemns in no uncertain terms the coup d’état announced on Thursday 17th September, 2015 in Ouagadougou, which has truncated the process put in place to restore Burkina Faso to constitutional rule by October 2015."
"It is regrettable that an internationally brokered process to promote the principle of entrenching democracy and constitutional governance in Burkina Faso has been violated with impunity."
To this end, the government of Ghana reiterates the need to uphold the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the immediate and unconditional release of the Transitional President and the Prime Minister as well as the restoration of the transitional process, the statement said.
It added that the government of Ghana further emphasizes the need for the safety of members of the Transitional Government and the general public.
Within the context of the need to promote peace and security in our sub-region, the Government of Ghana calls on the sisterly people of Burkina Faso to remain calm and exercise restraint in the wake of the current crisis. All political stakeholders should therefore embrace dialogue to ensure the protection and preservation of lives.
The sisterly people of Burkina Faso can count on the continued support of the Government and people of Ghana at this difficult time.
Why has there been a coup?
According to the BBC the members of the presidential guard were responsible for the overthrow of the interim government.
A new president was due to be elected next month to replace long-serving ruler Blaise Compaore, who was ousted in a popular uprising last year.
Members of the presidential guard (RSP), set up by President Compaore, said they were unhappy with the new electoral law banning candidates linked to last year's bid to extend the president's time in office. It was that attempt which triggered his overthrow in October 2014.
But what is really bothering the RSP is its future. Soldiers were worried that the election of a new president would spell the end of the unit.
What is the presidential guard?
The presidential guard is an elite unit of around 1,300 soldiers loyal to Mr Compaore.
He set it up to ensure his own protection in the wake of the 1987 killing of his predecessor, and close ally, Thomas Sankara during a coup which led to Mr Compaore taking over.
It is a well-trained and well-equipped group of soldiers who have often acted independently from the country's army, and this coup is not necessarily supported by the wider military.
Are people sympathetic to the cause of the presidential guard?
Most of the people who backed the overthrow of Mr Compaore were keen to see the presidential guard disbanded, but members of the CDP, the former ruling party, are more likely to be happy with what has happened.
They were concerned that they had been excluded from October's election because of their ties to the former president.
They argued that the election should have been an inclusive process and the electorate allowed to decide who was fit to be the next president.
Does the former president still have influence in Burkina Faso?
There are some who think that Mr Compaore, currently in exile in Ivory Coast, has quietly backed the coup and with the presidential guard in power, it could in theory pave the way for his return.
Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara was supported by Mr Compaore in his effort to take power after a disputed election, and he is thought to have been unhappy about the transitional arrangements.
What is ordinary life like for people in Burkina Faso?
Life is hard for many in Burkina Faso, one of the world's poorest countries.
Many university graduates struggle to find work and often blame corruption for their difficulties.
They were hoping that the transition and a democratic election would lead to improvements, so the coup is a set-back for them.
Coup sparks deadly street protests
The headquarters of Mr Compaore's Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) party were ransacked in Ouagadougou as news of the coup spread, it adds.
The AU and regional body Ecowas, the Economic Community of West African States, called for the immediate release of "hostages", referring to interim President Michel
Kafando and Prime Minister Isaac Zida, who were detained at a cabinet meeting in the president palace on Wednesday.
Their transitional authority was due to hand power to a new government after elections on 11 October.
The AFP news agency reports that an unknown number of protesters have been detained.
The coup leaders have imposed a night-time curfew across the country and have ordered the closure of land and air borders, AFP news agency reports.