Calling on all actors to exercise restraint and opt for dialogue, Guterres asked the coup leaders to lay down their arms and to ensure the protection of the President “and of the institutions of Burkina Faso”.

Reiterating the UN’s full commitment to the preservation of the constitutional order, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the Organization’s support to the people of Burkina Faso in their efforts to find solutions to the multifaceted challenges facing the country.

I am following developments in Burkina Faso with deep concern & strongly condemn any attempt to take over a government by the force of arms.

Coup leaders must lay down their arms & ensure the safety of the President and the protection of the country’s institutions.

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) January 24, 2022

A coup d'état was launched on Sunday in Burkina Faso, when gunfire erupted in front of the presidential residence in the Burkinabé capital Ouagadougou and several military barracks around the city.

The mutinous soldiers were reported to have seized control of the military base in the capital.

However, the government denied there was an ongoing coup in the country. Several hours later, President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was reported to have been detained by the mutinous soldiers at the military camp in the capital.

On Monday, the military announced on television that Kaboré had been deposed from his position as President.

After the announcement, the military declared that the parliament, government, and constitution had been dissolved.

Military captain Sidsoré Kader Ouedraogo said the Patriotic Movement for Safeguarding and Restoration “has decided to assume its responsibilities before history.”

In a statement, he said soldiers were putting an end to Kaboré’s presidency because of the deteriorating security situation amid the deepening insurgency and the president’s inability to manage the crisis.

He also said the new military leaders would work to establish a calendar "acceptable to everyone" for holding new elections, without giving further details. (ILKHA)